Lessons In Love
by Laragh
Summary: AU, set in contemporary setting. Willow and Tara stumble upon each other in High School Gym Class and soon find themselves falling in love. Fluff! No demons/hellmouth!
1. Chapter 1

TITLE: Lessons In Love

AUTHOR: Laragh

RATING: PG-13 (It will get to NC-17..., consider this fair warning)

DISCLAIMER: Joss, UPN, FOX, ME and anyone else associated with the television show Buffy The Vampire Slayer own the characters of Willow and Tara and anyone else who may appear, I am simply a lowly viewer, trying to write some happier situations for, who I consider, the greatest TV couple ever.

SUMMARY: Willow and Tara stumble upon each other in High School Gym Class and soon find themselves falling in love. Fluff!

SPOILERS: Completely AU, so I doubt any. At most, the odd reference or piece of dialogue.

FEEDBACK: I love it.

Willow Rosenberg loved school. She loved class, she loved learning and inexplicably to her best friends Buffy Summers and Xander Harris, she loved homework. What she didn't love was Gym. The one class that she dreaded. It had been bearable for the first two years when she and Buffy had been in the same class, but because she was taking AP Biology and Calculus for her junior year and Buffy was still stuck in Algebra 1, their Gym schedules clashed.

The last two weeks however, Willow had started to look forward to coming to Gym class, because after the horrendous first month of dodgeball, they were running track. Normally the concept of running anywhere that wasn't towards a class she was late for (which was yet to happen, but still) wasn't something that appealed to the young redhead, but as she'd discovered on the first day of track, two weeks ago, that running was quite enjoyable when it provided ample opportunity to run behind the brunette haired student you've been crushing on and therefore are able to check out her ass.

All she knew about the girl was that her name was Tara and apart from Gym, they shared Biology. That and she was the most gorgeous girl Willow had ever seen. She had yet to talk to the brunette, despite both Buffy and Xander's encouragement to 'get the girl'. Having come out to her friends over the summer, even though she had known herself she was gay since her freshman year, she had been delighted when they'd been nothing but supportive. Even if Xander's version of support was a glazed over look in his eyes and asking for details.

So lost in her own thoughts and the steady gaze her eyes were holding on the butt of the object of her affection, she didn't notice the protruding rock that had made its way onto her path until she was already stumbling over it.

"Oooff," she grunted as she ended up on the ground, clutching her ankle, which now had a shooting pain going through it. The pain was swiftly forgotten as she felt a tender hand on her knee and looked up into sea-blue eyes.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked kindly, having turned to help when she heard someone fall behind her. She saw the blinking green eyes looking back at her and got lost in them for a second, until a loud voice broke both of them from their trance.

"Rosenberg! You need to watch where you're going," Coach White, a middle aged woman who was shorter than most of the freshmen, bellowed above them, "Are you hurt?"

"Um…uh…my ankle," Willow said weakly.

"I can help her into the nurse," Tara offered eagerly.

"Very well," the coach replied in a somewhat-bored tone and turned back to some other students.

She was the kind of teacher who didn't want anything to do with you unless you were naturally gifted at sports, something neither Willow nor Tara were.

Tara held her hand out from her still-kneeling position beside the redhead. Willow stared at it for a few seconds until she realised it was there to help her up and she put her own hand in it. Both girls felt a spark as soon as their hands joined, both trying to hide the delight they felt at feeling it, not sure how the other would react.

Tara stood up; pulling the smaller girl up on her way, who balanced her weight and found her ankle wasn't actually paining her anymore.

"It's okay now," Willow said, not wanting the other girl to have to accompany her anywhere if she was just being nice.

"Maybe you should get it checked out anyway? Or just…rest it for a while?" Tara replied, wanting to prolong her time with the redhead. She felt a pull to the girl, more than just the physical attraction she had from when she first noticed her near the start of the year in Biology. She felt connected to her, "I could still help you in?"

"I'd like that," Willow responded shyly, then looked down and noticed their hands were still joined.

Tara followed her eye-line and realised she hadn't let go when they had stood up. Not wanting to make the redhead uncomfortable, but not wanting her to think that she was uncomfortable with it either, she gave the hand in hers a comforting squeeze and let it go.

Willow instantly missed the contact, but shot the brunette a quick smile before indicating towards the locker rooms. They moved towards the building, neither knowing what to say.

"You're-"

"I've se-"

They both giggled as they stared speaking at the same time.

"You're in my Biology class," Tara said when they'd both recovered.

"Yeah, I've seen you in there. Are you doing many AP classes?" Willow asked, wanting to know more about the brunette.

"Oh, um, just Biology and English. You?"

"Biology and Calculus."

"Math. My worst subject."

Tara held the door open to the locker rooms as they arrived and Willow walked in, smiling gratefully as she passed the brunette.

"If…I mean, I could help you? With math? One good turn deserves another and all…" Willow said as the door was closed, leaving them alone in the large changing room.

"You don't have to."

"Oh I want to!" The smaller girl gushed, then lowered her head as she  
realised how eager she sounded. She sat on one of the benches in the middle of the room

"Really?"

Tara was surprised anyone wanted to spend any time with her, she'd had no friends in her old school in New Jersey, and she'd figured that when her mother had gotten a promotion and the two of them had had to move across the country for the start of her junior year, that her final two years of high school would mirror her first two: alone.

"If you want me to," Willow replied shyly.

"I won't say no to help… I tried every excuse available in my old school to get out of homework… Once I said that I have a solar powered calculator and it was cloudy outside. I think that's the day my teacher gave up on me," Tara smiled sweetly at the smaller girl as she spoke, feeling at ease around her.

"Oh, if it's homework you need help with, I'm your gal!" Willow said, standing up and going over to the locker her gym bag was in.

_I wish you were my gal. _

Shaking off the thought, Tara copied the redhead's motions and went over to her own bag, rooting through it.

"I'd really appreciate the help then," she said as she pulled out her clothes.

Willow spun around and caught her eye, nodding.

"Cool. I'm, um, just gonna get changed. In the, uh, bathroom, okay?"

"Sure," Tara replied, hoping the other girl didn't notice the blush rising in her cheeks at the thought of her taking her clothes off with just a thin wall between them.

Willow ducked into the bathroom stall and dropped her head back against the door, a flurry of thoughts and emotions going through her.

_I talked to her! Actual words! I don't even think I sounded like a spaz. And we're gonna study together. Oh my god, oh my god. Is that like a study date? No, just two people studying together. The other person being the chick I have the biggest crush on. Wait, chick? Who am I, Xander? Stop objectifying her. I mean she stopped to help me when I fell, most people would have just kept on going. Sweet and kind and funny…. made a math joke. Heh. I think she's my perfect girl. _

She absentmindedly changed out of her gym clothes as she pondered all of this and resolved to find out more about the brunette. If there was anything she could do well it was research and learning. Doing up the last button on her shirt, she stuffed her gym clothes into her bag and turned to leave the small cubicle, a small smile playing on her face as she opened the door and saw Tara sitting on the bench, fully changed out of her sports clothes, seemingly finding something very interesting about her shoes.

"Hey," Willow said, causing the brunette to look up with a grin, "You didn't have to wait."

"Oh, I didn't mind. Besides, you falling got me out of Gym class early. I definitely owe you for that."

"Well I'm glad my clumsiness could be of service."

Tara giggled and reached for her bag, standing up.

"I was just gonna head to the library for the rest of class…" she said, moving towards the door, "Do you wanna…?"

"Oh for sure," Willow replied, falling in step with the taller girl, "We could get a head start on the math stuff."

_Or make out behind the 'gardening' section. _

Tara blushed at her thought and the image it had conjured, not noticing the smaller girl's red face also, having had a very similar idea, replacing 'gardening' with 'history'.

A 'clunking' sound brought them both out of their thoughts as Tara's water bottle fell from her bag and onto the floor. Both girls instinctively bent down to pick it up, their hands resting on top of one another on the bottle. They felt the familiar jolt of energy go through them and looked up into each other's eyes.

Willow licked her lips subconsciously as she took in all of Tara's features, her pale skin and deep blue eyes. Before she even realised what she was doing, her lips were pressed against the brunette's. As soon as she felt the soft touch, she grasped the full extent of what she had done, of how impulsive she had been.

Pulling back, she didn't give the other girl a chance to react as she jumped up and grabbed her bag.

"I am so, so sorry."

With that, she ran out of the locker room, leaving Tara in a mild state of shock. Bringing her fingers up to her lips, she felt a tingle still run through them.

"It's okay, Willow," she said in a whisper to the empty room, "It's definitely okay."


	2. Chapter 2

"Will! Will! WILLOW!"

Willow stopped her scurry down the hallway as she realised there was no way she could avoid her friends now that they'd seen her.

Buffy caught up with first, followed closely behind by a panting Xander.

"Jeez Buff, we're not all tiny and fast. Give a man some time to catch up," he said as they all stood in the quad, surrounded by a flurry of other students.

"Where the hell did you disappear to, Willow? We were supposed to meet after you had Gym, for lunch!" Buffy said exasperatedly.

"I, um, just needed to do something. Something…important?" Willow lied badly.

"You heard the girl. Important stuff. Now can I go to Anya? She has a habit of hitting me when I'm late…" Xander trailed off sheepishly.

"No. You can go when Willow stops being all vague-girl. What happened?"

Willow sighed and dropped unceremoniously onto the grass, bringing her knee's up to hug them. She let her head fall forward into her jeans.

Having run straight from the locker room to the girl's bathroom after her encounter with Tara earlier, she had stayed there for the rest of the class and throughout lunch, afraid she might run into the girl if she were to leave. She mumbled into her lap as she felt Buffy and Xander sit either side of her.

"Didn't quite catch that. Denim tends to muffle speech," Xander said.

Willow raised her head and a pained expression went across her face.

"I kissed Tara."

"Tara? Who's Tar-? Wait, your dreamy brunette?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded.

"Way to go Willster."

Xander gave the redhead a thumbs-up sign and Willow just groaned, dropping her head into her lap again.

"So… it wasn't good?" the brown-haired boy asked.

"It was magical," Willow said, raising her head and sighing, "My lips are still tingling."

"Alright Xander, go to your honey. I think this requires girl-talk," Buffy said.

"And a girl I am not. Bye ladies," Xander replied, getting up and leaving in search of his girlfriend.

"Tell Auntie Buffy everything," the athletic brunette said, scooting closer to her best friend.

"That referring to yourself in the third person thing is kind weird, Buff."

"You're being avoid-y."

Willow took a deep breath.

"I kissed her. I fell running track and she helped me inside and I said I'd help her with math and then we we're going to the library and her bottle fell and we both went to pick it up and I looked in eyes and they are so blue, I mean, sooo blue. And her lips were there, all plump and inviting. God Buffy, she probably doesn't even like girls and I just kissed her."

"Uh…" Buffy started, trying to decipher the events that the redhead had babbled about, "Well, how did she react?"

Willow looked at her sheepishly.

"I, um, don't know. I ran away before she had a chance to speak. And I've been hiding ever since. I can't bear the rejection, Buffy, I just can't."

"You're gonna have to see her eventually…"

"I know," Willow sighed in resignation, "She's in my Biology class. Which is-"

She was cut off by a bell ringing.

"Right now," she finished.

"Willow, listen up, 'cause I'm about to give you some of my very rare Buffy wisdom. You are a catch. And if for whatever reason this Tara doesn't want you, then it is totally her loss, but you need to at least give it a shot. You've already embarrassed yourself, what have you got to lose?"

"You know I was actually feeling better up until the end there."

"If you don't hurry you're gonna be humiliated _and _late."

Willow yelped and jumped up as she realised she would in fact be late for class. Pulling Buffy up for a quick hug, she grabbed her book-bag and turned on her heels.

"Thanks for the semi-pep talk," she said over her shoulder.

"I've said it before, but I'm gonna say it again, Will…"

"I know, I know. Get the girl."

Buffy gave her a smile that was meant to instil confidence, before realising she would be late for her own class and running in the opposite direction.

Willow slipped inside the science lab and saw that Tara wasn't in class yet. She took a seat at the back of the room and pulled out her book, hiding herself behind it. She heard students filter into class and a couple of minutes later she heard her teacher, Mr. Bellows address everyone, all without leaving what she considered the relative safety of being hidden behind her book.

"Good afternoon, eager minds. We're moving on to the study of genetics today. I'll be assigning lab partners and they will be your partner for the rest of the school year so it is in your best interests to be civil. When I call your names, please sit next to each other. Now," the middle-aged, white-haired teacher said, picking up a clipboard from his desk, " Samuel Connors and Damien Ruiz. Kylie Anderson and Joan Taylor. Charles Clark and Sarah Lewis. Tara Maclay and Willow Rosenberg. Penny Garcia and…"

Tara felt a mixture of panic and trepidation as she heard her name being called with Willow's. She had gone to the library a few minutes after the redhead had ran out of the locker room but the girl was nowhere to be found. She'd kept an eye out during lunch as well, and soon realised that the other girl must have been avoiding her.

She looked around the lab and saw the top of red hair peeking out over the large Biology textbook. Seeing that everyone else was paired up, she walked over to the desk and sat next to Willow, who was still avoiding eye contact. The redhead had intended to take Buffy's advice and talk to the brunette, but now that she was forced into the situation, she felt terrified.

"Open your books to page 217, we're starting on chromosomal basis of inheritance."

Tara looked through her bookbag and sighed as she realised she'd forgotten her textbook with all the other thoughts going on in her head. She picked up a pen and tore a small piece of paper from her notebook.

_**Can we share? Scatterbrain here. Left my book in my locker**_

She passed the note over the desk and saw Willow's eyes scan it before lowering her book and sliding it in between them. She had a highlighter in hand, ready to mark whatever the teacher called out. Tara didn't notice the redhead scribbling something herself until a piece of paper ended up in front of her, just one word written on it.

_**Sorry **_

Tara didn't know how to reassure the girl that she had nothing to apologise for, so she decided to try and lay out the facts.

**_You know, I'm not really one for the XY action…_ **

She hoped that Willow would understand her reference, but seeing as their shared book was currently open on the very page outlining gender determination, she was confident it would translate.

Willow's eyes widened as she read the note, taking in the implication.

_She likes girls? She likes girls! But...does that mean I have a chance? No, there's no way she likes me, she could have anyone she wan- _

She was pulled from her thoughts as another note arrived in front of her.

_**I prefer XX's with recessive genes…like red hair**_

Willow had to contain a squeal of excitement as she read the note and quickly scribbled back.

_**It is very possible that I'm barking up the wrong stem cell here, but could our study session maybe be a…study date?**_

_**I thought maybe you didn't want to do that anymore… I couldn't find you…after**_

Willow read over the piece of paper and put it off to the side, turning to face Tara.

"If we're gonna go out, I really should be able to speak to you. Oh, you didn't even say yes yet. Or if you were even gonna say yes. I'm sorry. For that and this morning. I don't just go around kissing beautiful girls, even though I've wanted to kiss you for a few weeks now," she whispered her babble to the brunette.

Tara blushed at the redhead's admission.

"I love the idea of a study date," she whispered back, not sure how to address the entire nature of the babble.

Willow's face broke out into a broad grin.

"I've got debate practice after school today, but are you free tomorrow? My parents are away, we could study at my house."

"Sounds great. I'll okay it with my Mom this afternoon."

"Rosenberg, Maclay, if you could be so kind as to stop the chatter and focus on chromosomal abnormalities, it would be very much appreciated."

Both girls blushed as the entire class turned to look and them and they muttered their apologies, before focusing back on the textbook.

An hour later, as the bell rang indicating the end of class and the end of the school day, Willow loaded her books and pencil case into her bag and turned to the brunette.

"My locker is in the east end of the school, right in front of the quad. Meet me there tomorrow at three?"

Tara zipped up her own bag before turning and smiling at the smaller girl.

"It's a date."


	3. Chapter 3

"Tara? Is that you?" Jennifer Maclay, a pretty woman in her mid-thirties with brown hair and blue eyes, asked as she heard the front door of her house bang closed.

Tara sauntered into the kitchen where her mother was chopping vegetables and dropped her bag on the floor next to the dining table.

"Your one and only child," she said happily, going over to fridge and pulling out a can of diet coke.

Jen looked at Tara strangely for a moment, her daughter was a happy person, but she always seemed somewhat… isolated. Ever since she was a baby she had preferred being on her own, happy with just the company of herself or her mother.

Tara's father had been an immature, mean man who had run for the hills as soon as he had found out that Jen was pregnant and it had just been the two of them ever since.

The one positive was that their mother/daughter relationship was a lot stronger than most, and Tara was always completely honest with her. Jen still worried about her daughter though, not having any friends your own age couldn't be healthy.

When she'd been offered a promotion in Citibank, where she worked, she had thought the move from New Jersey to the California might do them both the world of good. A fresh start. And judging from the smiling face of her child, she may just have been right.

"What's got you so smiley?" she asked, putting the knife in her hand down as Tara took a seat at the table and popped the tab on her soda.

"Is it okay if I go out tomorrow after school?" Tara answered, knowing her mother would say yes straightaway but still try and fish for more details.

"Of course it's okay, sugar. Where are you off to? Did you make a friend?"

"Kinda…"

Jen made her way over and sat down at the table.

"Spill it, sister."

Tara giggled at her mother and took a swig of her coke.

"I met a girl, Mom."

"Does my little angel have a date?" Jen asked, quirking an eyebrow.

Tara just blushed and nodded.

"Well tell me all about her."

Tara had come out to her Mom during her freshman year. They had never had secrets before and when Tara had figured it out for herself, she told her mother straight away, and it just brought them closer.

Jen was proud of her daughter and getting that kind of reaction to the first person she told just made Tara proud of who she was, a pride she refused to relinquish even when the strict catholic school she had attended in Jersey threatened to kick her out if she didn't play the role of 'heterosexual'.

She wrote an English essay on gay marriage during her sophomore finals, which had mandated a parent-teacher conference about their 'concerns for Tara's health'. Jen's promotion couldn't have come at a better time, neither of them wanted to be involved in that kind of environment any longer.

Tara's smiled beamed as she thought about Willow.

"She has red hair and these really bright green eyes. She's beautiful, Mom, really beautiful and she has the most adorable smile. And I feel all giddy around her."

"What's her name?"

"Willow."

Jen heard the adoration in her daughter's voice and smiled. She hadn't seen her this elated since she was a small child and the idea of Santa was still very real.

"How did you meet?"

"Oh…Um, she fell over in gym class and I helped her inside."

"Uh huh," Jen nodded, knowing there was more to the story from the blush on her daughter's face and the way she was letting her hair fall over her face, "And…"

"She kissed me. Just for a second. Then she kind of panicked and ran off, but we talked again in Bio. We're lab partners. She thought I wasn't interested, so I set her straight. Um, so to speak. And she asked me on a date. Her parents are away so we're gonna study at her place tomorrow."

"Alone? Do we need to talk about safe-"

"Mom, it's only our first date. And you gave me the safe sex talk when I was fourteen."

Jen got up and pulled her daughter up into a hug.

"I'm so very happy for you, sweet pea."

"Thanks, Mom," Tara said, wrapping her arms around her mother before pulling away with an alarmed look on her face, "What the hell am I gonna wear?!"

* * *

"Hey guys," Willow greeted Buffy, Xander and Anya as she approached the bench they were all sitting on.

"Morning Will," Buffy and Xander said at the same time and Anya nodded cordially towards her.

"Everyone ready for a day of learning?" the redhead asked excitedly.

"Okay, what's the what? Not even you're this happy about school," Xander accused.

"Oh no, she's a lot more happy about what's going on after school," Buffy replied, playfully punching Willow in the arm.

"What's happening after school? Are we getting doughnuts?" Xander asked enthusiastically.

"She's got a date with her gym class hero."

"The band?"

"No, you goof," Buffy said, hitting the boy on his upper arm, "Tara. The girl she hasn't stopped going on about for over a month."

"You've got a date?" Anya interjected as Xander rubbed his arm. She had breathed a huge sigh of relief when the redhead had come out, but she still had her insecurities.

Her and Xander had known each other so long, it was hard not to be jealous of their bond.

"Um, yeah?" Willow answered, blushing.

"So you won't be after Xander?"

"Anya, for the last time, I don't want Xander. I've known him since we were five. It's kinda hard to get the hots for someone when you've seen them with superman underwear on their head. That and the fact that, oh, I don't know, I like girls. A lot."

"Yeah, come on, Anya. We've all seen what she's like when Angelina Jolie comes on screen," Buffy pointed out.

"And all that music she plays by those twins. What're they called? Karen and Mara?" Xander looked to the side, trying to think.

"Tegan and Sara," Willow answered automatically, then scowled, "Could we maybe stop talking about how super gay I apparently am? What if I screw up tonight? I'm so nervous."

"You need to relax, Will. Last time you got all nervous around her, you ran out of the room, remember?"

"Kind of hard to forget, Buffy. How am I supposed to relax?"

"You could try masturbating," Anya said casually, genuinely trying to help.

Having an orgasm always relaxed her.

"Okay, Ahn, we should get to class," Xander stood up, pulling his girlfriend along.

"What? I was just trying to help! I'm not even in your first class!"

Her voice faded as the couple moved further away, Xander turning to give a small wave before they turned a corner.

"Is your room tidy?" Buffy asked when Willow plopped down onto the bench beside her.

"My room is always tidy, Buff."

"No embarrassing photos on display?"

"All banished to the conservatory."

"Delicious snacks available?"

"Popcorn and drinks for study breaks."

"Willow, Willow, Willow. It's a study date. You don't actually study. You open the book and pretend to be really smart and know all the answers, then you start making out."

"That's…but…" Willow spluttered as she learned of this new etiquette. Normally she would trust Buffy on all matters dating, but she sensed that on this occasion, that when she'd organised a study date with Tara, that both of them expected study. If it happened to be littered with intermittent smoochies, well then she was more than happy to let it happen, but she genuinely wanted to help the brunette with her math as well, "I think maybe we're gonna study a little. I mean, as fun as it would be, I'm not just gonna jump her bones. I just wanna get to know her, y'know? Where she's from, what her favourite colour is. And I wanna make her smile. I feel all warm inside when she smiles."

"You really like her, huh?"

"I do, Buff. I really do."

"Well I'm happy for you, Willow," Buffy said with a smile, then pouted, "When you two get all couply, I'm gonna be a fifth wheel."

Willow looked off dreamily for a second at the thought Tara being her actual girlfriend. Shaking it off, deciding is was too soon for that train of thought, she put a reassuring hand on Buffy's arm.

"We'll find you a guy, Buff. Whatever happened to that Riley guy?"

"That loser? He was more boring than mud."

Willow was stopped from saying anything as the bell rang. Buffy stood up and dragged the redhead up with her.

"C'mon, we gotta get to History. I need to copy your homework before class starts."

Willow chuckled and let herself be led down the hall, looking forward for classes to start so they could end and she could see Tara.

* * *

Tara walked nervously across the quad. She hadn't had much time to think about the afternoon, she'd been busy with class and was doing a make-up test during lunch. She arrived at the set of lockers she knew housed Willow's and looked around.

"Hi!"

She jumped, startled at sound of a voice off to her side.

"Um, sorry," Willow said when she saw the brunette jump, "I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's okay," Tara replied, grinning broadly at being able to see the redhead.

"I'm just gonna grab my books and we can head off, is that okay?"

Tara nodded and followed as Willow went towards her locker. A couple of minutes later the smaller girl was zipping up her book bag and closing the door of the locker. She turned to the brunette.

"Shall we?"

Tara smiled sweetly and fell into step with other girl, towards the school gate.

"We shall."


	4. Chapter 4

Willow put the key in her front door and opened it, standing aside to let Tara in.

Tara walked in and looked around the large hall, admiring the marble floors and finely decorated interior.

"You have a really nice house," she said as Willow closed the door behind them.

"Oh. Yeah, I guess. It's my parent's really, my room is the only thing that feels like mine."

"I'd love to see it," Tara replied, blushing as she realised the implication of what she'd actually said.

Willow blushed as well.

"We can study in there. I was just gonna grab some drinks first. You know what they say about math. It, um, makes you…thirsty," the redhead said, realising straight away how completely nonsensical her words were and inwardly kicking herself.

"I've heard that too," Tara said, giggling but not at all in a mocking way.

She followed Willow into the large kitchen, where the redhead pulled out a two glasses and filled them with ice.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I got everything. We have Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, grape soda, orange soda, root beer, Coke, Diet Coke, Vanilla Coke, Cherry Coke…"

"You…you bought," Tara stopped momentarily to try and count in her mind, "Ten different types of drinks?"

"And Gatorade," Willow nodded, then smiled sheepishly, "When I'm nervous I make lists. So last night I listed all the drinks I could think of that you might like and went to the store early this morning to get them."

"That was incredibly sweet."

"It was nothing. So what'll it be?" Willow asked, blushing at the compliment.

_If she makes me blush anymore, my face is going to permanently match my hair. _

"Um, Dr. Pepper please."

Willow pulled out two cans of Dr. Pepper and put them on top of the glasses, then walked out the door, indicating for the taller girl to follow.

They made their way to the redhead's bedroom, which was immaculately tidy, her double bed in the middle of the room perfectly made, her desk clear apart from a lamp and her floor spotless.

Tara thought of her own room, it was tidy, but there was some stuff dropped on the floor and the odd sock under the bed. She looked around Willow's room, getting giddy for a moment at the thoughts that she was actually in the girl's bedroom and noticed the various posters, including a cute one of a kitten sitting in a boot. She decided that Willow might be obsessively clean, but her bedroom was definitely homely and very…her. It was very Willow. And there was nothing about that that Tara didn't like.

Willow put the glasses on the chest at the end of her bed and swung her bag off her shoulder, before sitting down on the floor, legs crossed beneath her. Tara walked towards her and copied her motions, sitting in a similar position.

"So, you wanna start with math?" Willow asked eagerly, thinking how wonderful the idea of a study date was; she got to learn and be with the girl of her dreams. It really was a perfect situation.

"Uh, yeah," Tara said, pulling out her math book, "But I'm warning you again, I think I'm a lost cause."

"Piffle," the redhead sneered jokingly, "I haven't met a math problem yet I didn't like, I know I can make you feel the same."

Tara giggled and set down her book in front of the two of them, getting a pen and paper to write down whatever the other girl said.

An hour, two more cans of Dr. Pepper and four pages of notes later, something finally clicked in Tara's head and she let out a squeal. Willow was startled by the sound, but didn't get a chance to react as the brunette started talking excitedly.

"So Pythagoras says that in a right angle triangle, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the square of the other two sides!"

_Okay brain, duly noted. Tara speaking in math makes me hot. _

The flutter she got in her stomach at hearing the brunette speak was replaced by an overjoyed feeling as she realised she'd actually helped Tara understand her math homework.

"Eureka, she's got it! If you like Pythagoras, wait till we start on Euclid. He proved that there's an infinite number of-"

She was cut off by warm, plump lips on her own. Not expecting the kiss, the redhead didn't respond straight away. When Tara felt the other girl not responding, she began to pull away. The move forced Willow into action and she brought her hands out to cup Tara's cheeks, their faces only centimetres apart.

"I'm sorry," Tara said, not sure what to feel at the somewhat mixed reaction of the smaller girl.

Willow brought their lips together for a second, then pulled away, her hands never letting go of her hold on Tara's cheeks.

"I think we need to implement a 'no apologies' policy for our kisses," she murmured into the brunette's lips before capturing them again.

They stayed kissing for a few moments before Tara pulled away again, the allure of Willow's lips proving too difficult to let go and she went back in for a series of short, sweet kisses.

When they finally parted, Tara sat back on her ankles with a shy half-smile on her face and Willow had a goofy grin.

"Wanna stop studying and just talk for a while? I wanna know all about Tara," the redhead said after a minute.

"Sounds like an idea," Tara agreed, closing her book and putting it off to the side before lying stomach-down on the floor, propping herself up on her elbows, "But I wanna know about Willow too."

"Um, okay," Willow said, getting herself into a similar position, facing the brunette, "Willow Rosenberg, geek extraordinaire. I'm sixteen, seventeen in February. Jewish. My best friends are Buffy and Xander. I've known Buffy since freshman year and Xander since I was five. I've lived here in Sunnydale my entire life. Came out over the summer, my parents don't know yet though. They're kinda…absent. Busy lecturers, you know, away a lot. I love science and figuring stuff out, and computers. I'm a hacker, oh, but only for little stuff and nothing illegal. I kinda want to work with computers after school, programming or something. Oh and I love Charmed. Something about the supernatural, witchy stuff, I dunno, I like it. And, um, Holly Marie Combs is pretty."

She blushed as she admitted the last part and Tara giggled.

"Okay, here's me. Tara Maclay, I'm seventeen, but only for the last week. No religious affiliation, although I did go to a catholic school before we moved out here but that was more to do with being close to my house than anything else. It's just me and my Mom. I came out the middle of freshman year, but really only to my Mom. I didn't hide it in school and wrote essays and stuff if the topic fit a description…school didn't like it, threatened to kick me out. But then Mom got promoted and we moved out here. Oh! From New Jersey. Hoboken, actually. Never had many…okay, any friends, but I'm really close to my mother, I can tell her anything. I want to be an English teacher, and snap, I love Charmed too, 'cept I'm more into Rose McGowan. And I always loved Bewitched as well. When I was little I used to twitch my nose anytime I wanted something. That's me in a nutshell."

"You're a Jersey girl? You don't have an accent," Willow said, internally processing all this new information.

"Yep. My mom lived in Manhattan her whole life, and got pregnant with me when she was in NYU. We lived there 'til I was 3 and she finished school, then moved across the Hudson. She works for a bank. And I dunno, I never really had a strong accent. Just luck of the draw I guess. Would you prefer if I had a Jersey accent?" Tara said the last bit with an affected New Jersey accent and Willow chuckled.

"I think your voice is perfect just as it is."

Tara blushed at the compliment, then looked up into smiling eyes.

"Can I take you on a proper date?" Willow asked the blushing brunette, "I mean, I loved this and I think it was perfect 'first date, getting to know you' material. But, you know, pick you up, take you out…well, picking up not so much… I can't drive."

"I can," Tara interjected softly.

"Movies and dinner kind of thing?" the smaller girl finished, hopeful.

"I think that depends…"

"Oh? On what?"

Willow voice held an odd mixture of dejection and expectation.

"What type of movie would you take me to?"

"Any type you want," the redhead said breathing a sigh of relief and laughing, "Are you free Saturday?"

"You bet I am. Since I have the car though, why don't I collect you?"

"I can't wait."

They leaned towards each other as their lips met again, both smiling into the kiss as their lips moved against each other. After a few minutes Tara let her mouth stay open slightly and Willow took the hint, letting her tongue slide into the open space.

They duelled, somewhat awkwardly for a few minutes, neither having any real experience in the art of kissing, until they settled into a relaxed rhythm, just exploring the inside of each other's mouths. As they continued to kiss, their bodies seemed to move gradually closer to each other, until they were both in a sitting position, backs against the chest at the end of Willow's bed. Tara's hand was resting lightly on the redhead's knee and Willow was calmly stroking Tara's hair, inadvertently bringing their mouths closer together, not that either girl minded.

They finally broke apart for oxygen when they heard church bells ringing somewhere outside the window. Both looked out the window and saw the darkening sky.

"Damn bells. This town as an unholy amount of churches," Willow said, then frowned, "Unholy churches…is that an oxymoron?"

"I think it might be, sweetie," Tara replied giggling, then sighed, "I better get home. Mom'll be worrying."

Willow nodded, understanding the concept of a concerned parent, even if she'd never experienced it.

"Will you have lunch with me tomorrow? Me and my friends that is," she asked, not wanting to wait until Saturday to see the brunette, "We don't have class together for the rest of the week."

"Really? I don't wanna intrude."

"You won't be. I want them all to meet you. And they wanna meet you to. I mean, you don't have to or anything, no pressure."

"I normally just hide, I mean, um, read up on stuff in the library during lunch, so I'd love to sit with you guys."

"There's no way someone as beautiful as you should be hiding anywhere."

Tara blushed then moved forwards to kiss the smaller girl again for a second before standing up.

"Thank you for a great evening, Willow. And for making me understand trig. My calculator personally thanks you. I think it was about to go to it's union for being overworked."

Willow stood too, giggling at the other girl and pulled her into an embrace. Tara let her arms wrap around the girl, returning the hug. They let go after a minute and Tara wordlessly gathered her stuff before both girls made their way to the front door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" Willow asked.

"Definitely," Tara confirmed.

Willow nodded nervously then leaned in and gave the girl another quick goodbye kiss. Tara gave her a smile and slipped out the door, closing it behind her. She stopped for a second, internally processing the entire evening's events and decided there was only one word to describe it.

"Wow."


	5. Chapter 5

"Tara! Over here!"

"Wow, eager much, Willow?" Xander asked as he watched his oldest friend wave almost manically at a brunette in the distance. As she came more in focus he could see why, "Ye gods, she is all kinds of hottie."

Anya slapped the back of his head and Willow scowled at him.

"Okay, ow. Why does my head deserve that?"

"Because you were checking out another girl! Besides, she's off limits, that's Willow's lesbian."

Tara walked up just in time to hear the last sentence and saw the blushing faces of both Willow and who she assumed to be Xander, as well as an athletic brunette shaking her head and a mousy-brown haired girl sitting on the boy's lap.

"Um, hi?"

Willow jumped up from her seat around the table that they were all sitting around in the quad and took Tara's hand, leading her towards the seats. When they were both sitting, she didn't give up the hold she had on the brunette's hand, much to Tara's delight.

"Guys, this is Tara. Tara, this is Buffy," Willow said, pointing out the girl, then moved her free hand over slightly, "And Xander and Anya."

"Nice to finally meet you Tara," Buffy said, extending a hand, which Tara took, smiling shyly.

"Yeah, Willow's been going on about you non-stop for weeks. What was it she said? Oh yeah, 'brown haired goddess'. That was it," Anya smiled at the new addition to their group.

She knew what it was like to be kind of an outsider coming in to the close group of friends and felt a sense of solidarity. She didn't notice the blush of both girls at what she had intended as a compliment.

Tara gave the hand in hers a squeeze, wanting to show she was very okay with the fact that Willow had been talking about her. She'd never even imagined this kind of attention before, never mind the fact that the redhead clearly found her attractive and she was relishing in it.

"So guys, we Bronzing it this Saturday?" Xander asked as he shoved a candy bar in his mouth.

"I'm in," Buffy said, picking an invisible piece of lint from her shoulder, "I'm in need of some dancing."

"Ladies?" Xander asked, slightly muffled by his swallowing.

"Can't Xand," Willow said, beaming, "We have a date."

"Ooh," he replied, smiling excitedly, "What'ya gonna do? And please, don't leave out any details. No matter how…explicit."

"What is it with guys and lesbian fantasies?" Buffy asked while Anya scowled.

"He's not the only one," Willow muttered under her breath without even realising she had said it.

A quick look around the table determined no one else had heard and she breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't noticed Tara's slightly widened eyes or the hitch in her breath when she had first said it.

The brunette composed herself and smiled at the group in front of her. She decided she really liked Willow's friends and could see herself becoming firm friends with them all, a concept slightly foreign to her but one she was looking forward to nonetheless.

"Dinner and a movie," Willow continued on as if the entire exchange previously hadn't happened, "We're doing dinner and a movie."

"Just us and the Buffster then. Hey about tomorrow? Or do you have a Friday night date too?"

"Kinda. Just not together," Willow said, then took in the wide eyes of the people around the table and the hurt look on Tara's face.

_So she has another date. Of course, she's pretty and smart. Jeez, Tara, why are you getting upset over this? It's not like we talked about being exclusive or anything, we've only had one date. _

"Oh no, I have debate. We're doing an in house thing to practice for some of the competitions coming up. You guys never want to come so I didn't mention it," Willow continued as she saw the range of emotion flooding Tara's face, and turned to her, talking in a quiet whisper, "You're the only one I want to date."

"Xander why don't you ever look into my eyes and speak in hushed tones?"

"Well I don't know, Anya, what would you like me to say?" Xander replied sarcastically.

"I'll go," Tara whispered just as quiet as Willow had been, oblivious to the bickering couple across from them. She took the redhead's other hand in hers, "I wanna see you debate."

"Well if it isn't the Ellen twins," a voice sneered from above them.

"Lay off, Cordy," Xander said protectively.

"Didn't know the new girl was part of the pervert brigade. Hanging out with the geek squad as well…" one of Cordelia Chase's cronies piped up.

"They are not perverts," Buffy said, standing up and banging her hands against the table.

"Ohh, butch. You 'family' too Buffy?" Cordy scoffed, "And you Anya. You had a real chance to be cool and you blow it to date Harris, here. What is wrong with you?"

"Don't you talk about Xander like that!" Anya said in defence of her boyfriend.

Willow, meanwhile, had let go of both of Tara's hands and was resting her forehead against the table. Tara surveyed the verbal blows that were being exchanged and noticed how Buffy was one remark away from jumping across the grass and wrestling Cordelia to the floor and decided to intervene. She stood up and faced Cordy and the three girls who were hanging off her every word.

"As hard as it might be for you to comprehend, there is actually a place where you're not wanted. And it's this lunch table. So if you could maybe go off and try and seek validation by belittling some other group of students, it would be very much appreciated, okay?"

Cordelia looked like she'd been slapped in the face and she stared at Tara, who kept her gaze. After a few seconds she blinked rapidly and turned on her heels.

"Come on girls. Don't want their loserness rubbing off on us."

Tara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding in and turned back to sit at the table, the rest of the gang regarding her with wide eyed, impressed looks.

"You got Cordelia to leave. She got Cordelia to leave!" Xander said in disbelief.

"Okay, Tara. You are now for sure an official member of our little faction. Wait, no, that makes us sound like a pack of vampires… You're wordy, Will, what would you call us?"

"A cluster of loveable friendly-type persons?" Willow offered.

"I didn't mean that wordy."

"I think what the quippy sisters over there are trying to say," Anya said with a smile, "Is thank you and welcome to the gang."

"No problem," Tara said, blushing at the attention, "The girls at St. Augustine's School of The Holy Immaculate could be a lot harsher."

"New Jersey," Willow interjected, eliciting nods of understanding from the rest of the group. She took Tara's hand under the table again and rubbed her thumb over the brunette's knuckles.

"Queen C looked thoroughly miffed," Buffy said, smiling at the thought.

"You've got competition for master of the witty comebacks, Buff," Xander said.

"It is a title I shall gladly share."

They all continued chatting throughout lunch, Tara filling the group in on her move and in turn she learned about life in Sunnydale with plenty of embarrassing childhood stories about Willow provided by Xander. The first bell rang, indicating it was time to get to class and Buffy and Anya went off to their Gym class, Xander turning to get to Math. Willow stood up from the table and grabbed her bag.

"Can I walk you to class?" she asked shyly, reaching out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind Tara's ear.

"Of course. I'm in English."

"Oh, I'm in Spanish. Right next door," Willow responded as they made their way towards the language labs.

"You speak Spanish?"

"Yep. Well, kinda. Still learning."

"I never learnt anything but English. Say something in Spanish."

"Um…okay. Tú eres la mujer más bella que he visto."

"What does that mean?"

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Oh," Tara replied and blushed, then looked around the area littered with students and pulled the redhead behind a set of lockers. Hidden from the eyes of anyone else, she gave the girl a firm kiss.

Willow's eyes fluttered close as she felt the contact and felt the loss of them considerably when Tara pulled away a few seconds later.

"¿Va a ser mi chica?" the redhead asked breathlessly.

Tara's brow crinkled in concentration for a moment.

"Mi chica…my girl?"

"More specifically, will you be my girl?"

"Oh, Willow," Tara said and brought their lips together again, "I already am."

"Is that a yes to being my girlfriend?"

"Sí," Tara replied, smirking.

The second bell rang, and Willow clutched the bag on her shoulder.

"Class…"

"I know," Tara responded, going in for one last kiss, "Wait for me after okay?"

Willow nodded and squeezed the hand in hers.

"Always."


	6. Chapter 6

Tara flashed her hall pass to a teacher as she walked down the corridor towards the library. She knew Willow had a free period and would be finishing off her speech for tonight. Closing the heavy doors of the library behind her, she scanned the large room and saw the back of girlfriend's red hair sitting at the table near the middle of the room.

_I have a girlfriend._

The thought echoed in her mind in a singsong voice and she bit her lip to contain the giggle that came from it. It was the library, after all, she was supposed to be quiet. Plus she was technically supposed to be in class, so there it would be no good to draw attention to herself. She sat in the seat next to Willow, who was too engrossed in her own work to notice the body beside her. Tara stared at her for a moment, bemused that she didn't notice her arrival, before leaning in to whisper in the redhead's ear.

"You're cute when you concentrate."

Willow whipped her head around at the sound, almost hitting Tara's head with her own, but the brunette anticipated the move and pulled back just enough so that their lips met lightly instead, barely grazing each other.

"Hi baby," Willow whispered when the shock had worn off slightly, "What're doing here?"

"Finished my English assignment early. Told Mr. Kelly I had cramps so I could come and see you."

"You lied to a teacher?!"

"I can always go back…" Tara pretended to start to stand up but was pulled back down by the smaller girl.

"No, no. Please stay. I just meant, you did that for me?"

"Of course. Don't worry though, no schoolwork has been abandoned. I know you wouldn't approve of that."

"I approve of anything that gets me more Tara-time," Willow replied, grinning bashfully.

Tara ducked her head at the compliment and put a hand on Willow's knee.

"How's your speech going?" she asked, looking up.

"Oh it's okay. It's pretty boring, you know, just about uniforms, whether schools should have them or not. It's just an in-house debate, not a competition or anything. Like a practice round to prepare us, but I'm still nervous."

"I had to wear a uniform in Jersey. It kinda sucked. I guess it gives the other kids less to tease you about… And I know you'll do great, honey. I'll be right there cheering you on."

"You know you don't have to come…"

"I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want to."

A shrill ringing ran through the room, the quietness beforehand making it seem all the louder. Willow, knowing the school rules flawlessly, widened her eyes in panic.

"You're gonna get in trouble! You're supposed to be back before class ends!"

"Sshh, I know sweetie," Tara replied, standing up, then after a quick glance around the room to make sure to coast was clear she leaned down and gave the redhead a chaste kiss. She then quickly turned and ran out of the library in an effort to get back before her English teacher realised she'd stayed out over time.

Willow watched her leave, then a broad grin broke out on her face.

_Sneaking out of class to see me. She is just the sweetest… Hehe. My girlfriend's a bit of a rebel. Willow Rosenberg is dating a bad girl._

Laughing at her own thought and deciding that Tara was definitely not a 'bad girl', she took her pen and started doodling on her paper, lost in thought about her girlfriend and the catholic school uniform she had had to wear before.

_Wonder if she still has it? _

* * *

Willow looked out into the small group of chairs set up in the gymnasium for any spectators that wanted to watch the debate. Right now it had a couple of parents and some teachers who came for moral support, but seeing as it wasn't a competition and most people had better things to do on a Friday night, it was pretty deserted. Her face lit up when she saw a familiar brunette slip into one of the seats and give her a little wave.

_She really came! Just to see me! _

She was used to parents not really caring one way or the other what she got up to and her friends saying that anything requiring you to stay in school after the designated times to be their idea of nightmare, or as Xander had put it, "Bell ring, Xander bye."

She loved her friends, and knew she could always rely on their support, they always wished her good luck when they knew she had a debate, but to have someone actively come to watch her, to _want _to be there as Tara had so insisted she had, just because…well, just because, really struck a cord with the redhead and she felt even more thankful and pleased that they had made their way into each others lives.

She briefly thought about Anya, and although she didn't always get on with her best friend's girlfriend, if they made each other feel even a little of what her girlfriend had made her feel in such a short period of time, then she could do nothing but be happy for them.

Deciding to leave that train of thought before she started analysing certain…physical feelings Tara was able to stir in her and not wanting to think about either Xander or Anya in that capacity, she started to stand to go over and thank Tara was coming when Mr. Ramos, her debate coach took to the podium in the middle of the stage and announced that they were ready to start.

The entire Sunnydale High debate team had six students, four Juniors and two Seniors. For competitions they were broken up into teams, varying on things like who was available or how many people were required to speak. Some members worked best with the one-on-one style, while others gelled easier with other students and worked well in teams. Willow could work either way, something Mr. Ramos liked a lot, as she was almost always available as well.

Willow settled on a small wave and a beaming smile in the direction of her girlfriend, before setting her features into her resolve face when the first speaker from the other team got up to speak.

Tara smiled backed, internally chuckling when she saw Willow's determined look. She admired that the girl was unwavering in her attempts to excel, even if it was just a practice round. Judging from the seating arrangement of the teams, Tara figured that her girlfriend would be the last speaker and settled down to listen to the people who were speaking before her.

As she'd suspected, the other five students made their points before Willow stood and made her way over to the podium. The redhead sought out Tara's eyes as she took a deep breath before beginning her speech. The brunette gave her a reassuring smile and a small thumbs-up sign.

Tara listened intently as Willow made her arguments, speaking clearly and concisely, and rebutting some of the points made by the opposing team in a civilised manner. Tara was thoroughly impressed at how calm and collected her girl was. Even if she was still nervous on the inside, she wasn't showing it at all, in fact in Tara's eyes, she downright owned the stage.

Willow finished her speech with a flourish and made her way back to her seat, a content smile on her face. The judges, consisting of Mr. Ramos and two other English teachers talked privately for a few minutes, before announcing Willow's team the winner and thanking everyone for coming. The teams disbanded and Willow made her way to Tara, embracing her in a warm, lingering hug.

"You were so amazing. I loved hearing you speak," Tara whispered into her ear.

Willow blushed, but it was concealed as her head rested in the crook of the brunette's neck, which she kissed in response to the compliment, smiling in surprise and delight when she felt a small shiver go through the taller girl. They pulled back when they heard a throat being cleared behind them.

"Willow," Mr. Ramos started, "Everyone agreed you were wonderful tonight. We have a tournament coming up next month, and I think you'd be excellent in it. It's a one-on-one style event and it's state-wide, progressing from the first debate to quarter-finals and so on."

Willow nodded eagerly as Tara looked on proudly, her arm snaked around the redhead's waist.

"I'm in, for sure," Willow said.

"Great. I'll let you know more at our next meeting. Good evening girls."

"Thanks, sir."

"Night," Tara said to the teacher before addressing her girlfriend again, "See? Amazing"

"Oh shush, you. Wanna get out of here?"

"I think that's an excellent idea, Ms. Rosenberg," Tara replied, letting the arm around the other girl's waist fall slightly so she could take her hand instead.

They walked out of the school hand-in-hand and the brunette steered them towards the carpark when they got outside.

"I drove," Tara explained off her girlfriend's confused look. She walked them to her car and Willow giggled.

"You have a Bug?" She asked through the laughter as she took in the dark blue Volkswagen beetle.

"Hey, Alexis is sensitive. Don't laugh at her."

Tara opened the passenger door and Willow slid into the car, relaxing comfortably into the seat. Tara went around and got in the driver side.

"You named your car Alexis?" Willow asked.

"Yep," Tara nodded and saw she'd have to explain further, "I loved Winnie the Pooh when I was little and when I got Alexis, I had just read some more of A.A Milne's writing, he's the guy who wrote Pooh, and he has a poem called 'Now We Are Six' and there's a line that goes 'I found a little beetle, so that beetle was his name, and I called him Alexander and he answered just the same.' So seeing as I didn't really think my car was a guy, I named her Alexis."

She put the key in the ignition and turned the engine on.

"And she purrs like a kitten," she finished, smirking.

"I like kittens," Willow said fondly, smiling too, "They're always so friendly. So, how long have you had Alexis, then?"

"I got my licence a year ago…well, my learner's permit, I got my full licence seven months ago, but I got Alexis a month after getting my permit. I saved for years beforehand to get her," Tara replied, reversing out of the parking space and out of the carpark, "I wanted this car since I was thirteen and I saved all my Christmas and Birthday money since then. And my grandparents helped pay as well."

"I'm really looking forward to our date," Willow blurted out as they made their way down the streets of Sunnydale, "I know you haven't been in town long, but there's a new fifties Diner place opened in the mall. You wanna go there before the movie?"

"Sounds great, honey. What movie are we seeing?"

"Either one that has a bunch of half-naked girls running around a beach or one that has a child that goes all demonic and tried to terrorize the entire village."

"Doesn't matter to me. I'll be watching you the entire time," Tara replied with a shy smile. She pulled up outside the Rosenberg household as she finished her sentiment.

"You wanna come-" Willow's offer was cut off by her own yawn and she smiled sheepishly.

"You've had a long day sweetheart. Why don't you go in and get some sleep. I'll pick you up tomorrow. 6 o' clock?"

Willow nodded gratefully and undid her seatbelt, leaning across the car kiss her girlfriend. The brunette eagerly moved forward and met Willow halfway, their lips crashing together. Tara felt a jolt go straight through her at the contact and chuckled into the kiss.

"Are my kisses funny?" Willow asked, pulling back and looking bemused.

"No, I was just thinking of a song I was listening to earlier…here, give me your cell."

Willow wordlessly handed the girl her cell phone, wondering what was going on. They'd exchanged numbers on their first study date and had been texting since so she knew Tara wasn't programming her number in. Tara handed the phone back and Willow saw the message bank was open with some words written in an unsent text.

"Listen to that when you go in. It reminds me of you," the brunette said shyly.

"I will," Willow promised before leaning in for another kiss, cupping the taller girl's cheeks so she could deepen it.

Pulling back, breathless a few minutes later she gave her girl one last peck before getting out of the car. Tara rolled down her window and waved as the other girl made her way to her front door.

"Night Will."

"Night Tare. Night Alexis."

When Willow was safely inside, she pulled away and continued on to her own house.

* * *

Inside Willow's bedroom, the redhead had booted up her laptop and was typing the song that Tara had written for her, thinking to herself.

_She has a song that reminds her of me…hope it's a good one … hmm … MGMT …weird band name…okay…Electric Feel. And downloading. _

She checked her email while the song downloaded, forwarding a few jokes onto some people before seeing the song had finished. She plugged her earphones in and pressed play, letting the music and lyrics of the song flow through her.

The song finished and Willow had a huge smile on her face. She grabbed her cell and keyed a few buttons before grabbing a t-shirt to sleep in and settling into bed.

* * *

Tara closed her bedroom door behind her. She had talked to her Mom for a few minutes before deciding to retreat to her bedroom so she was well rested for her date. She had just gotten under the covers and had turned off her lamp when she heard her cell beep. She flipped the cover, grinning when she saw it was Willow who had texted.

_Ur my electric girl 2. Sweet dreams baby. Xx_


	7. Chapter 7

Tara checked her hair one final time in her car mirror before grabbing the small bouquet of flowers she had bought and exiting Alexis. She smoothed down her blouse and skirt and walked towards the large oak front door of the Rosenberg household. She rang the doorbell and held the flowers in front of her, standing almost on her tiptoes in anticipation.

What she wasn't expecting was the door to open to reveal a middle-aged man with greying hair wearing glasses and a business suit. Assuming it to be Willow's father and knowing that he didn't have any knowledge of his daughter's gender preferences, much less that she was actually in a relationship with a girl, she quickly dropped the flowers behind a potted plant before the man had a chance to see them.

Willow quickly ran down the stairs and towards the main door. Her parents had arrived home from their conference two days early and she hadn't had a chance to inform Tara of their arrival. She had told her parents she was going to the movies with a friend and was just finishing her outfit when she heard the doorbell, right on the dot of 6 o' clock. She had smiled at the thought of her girlfriend and their date before realising one of her parents was sure to answer to door. She slid in beside her father and saw that Tara looked a little panicked and her dad confused.

"Um, Dad. This is Tara. The, um, friend I'm going to the movies with."

She felt wrong about calling Tara just a friend, but still wasn't quite sure how to approach her coming out to her parents. She looked to Tara quickly to see if there was any signs of hurt at the phrasing, but if there was the brunette was hiding it well.

"Nice to meet you, sir," Tara said and extended her hand.

Ira Rosenberg looked pleasantly surprised at the gesture, any other friends of Willow's he'd met, however briefly, had avoided eye contact and barely mumbled a greeting. He had put it down to just teenagers being teenagers but was glad this new friend seemed to have some semblance of manners. He took the girl's hand and shook it firmly.

"Always nice to meet a friend of Willow's," he said cordially.

"Okay! So um, bye, Dad. I'll be home later. Tara's driving so we won't be walking after dark or anything. I'll be on my cell if you need me," Willow spoke up, walking onto the front porch with Tara.

Ira nodded and reached into his pocket, handing a bundle of bills to the redhead.

"Uh, no, Dad, I don't want…I mean, thank you, but I don't need…"

"Just take it, Willow. Have a good evening."

Willow didn't get a chance to respond as the door was closed, leaving the couple alone. Tara reached behind the plant and picked up the flowers, rubbing off some stray pieces of dirt.

"I brought you flowers…but I didn't want your Dad to think…Um, here," she said and thrust the bouquet into her girlfriend's hands.

"Oh Tara," Willow said, bringing the flowers up to inhale their scent and marvelling at how thoughtful the brunette had been, "I…come on, you deserve plenty of smoochies for this and I think your car is a more appropriate place."

Tara blushed and grinned in delight as she was dragged towards the Bug, getting in the driver's side as Willow went around, hopping in and doing up her seatbelt.

"I don't trust there not to be prying eyes around here…" Willow started, placing her flowers carefully in the backseat.

"No, I understand," Tara said with a smile, starting Alexis and driving in the direction of the mall.

"I want them to know about us. I want everyone to know about us, I just don't know how to…"

"Honey, I really do understand. You have to come out in your own time. And besides, it's not like I'm your dirty little secret or something. Your friends know. My mom knows. We're going out on a public date. You have nothing to feel bad about. And when you do decide to tell your parents, I'll be beside you the whole way."

Tara reached over and took one of the redhead's hands, placing both their hands back on the gear stick, Willow's on top so Tara could control the car while still having the contact.

"Was it hard for you? To tell your Mom?" Willow asked, making sure not to grip Tara's hand too tight, but stroking the soft skin underneath with her fingertips anyway.

"No," Tara answered honestly, "I mean it's always a little scary, no matter what, you can never be sure how people are gonna react. But Mom was brought up by hippies in New York City and always made sure that I respected everyone and embraced our differences. I think she brings whole new meaning to the phrase 'liberal'. I was a shy kid, so she brought me out to all these protests and demonstrations. It made me a lot more confident in myself, you know, but I never met anyone, like a friend that I gelled with. Until I came here, of course. But, yeah, my Mom, she gave me a big hug when I told her and said she was proud of me. I was pretty lucky though."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're lucky you have such a good relationship with your Mom. Um, do have any contact…I mean, your…never mind."

"My dad?"

"You don't have to tell-"

Tara looked over for a second and smiled as she indicated into the car park of the mall.

"It's okay. I've never known him. He ran away when he found out my Mom was pregnant. They were both in college so it wasn't planned or anything. It's been okay though, I never had anything but one parent so I don't feel like I missed out."

"I like that you tell me things," Willow said shyly as Tara pulled into a parking space.

"I like that I _can _tell you things," Tara replied and turned off the engine, "Like I said, friendships, kinda new. Relationships? Completely new."

"So you've never had a girlfriend? Or a boyfriend?"

Willow knew she was fishing but figured since they were chatting so opening anyway that it was okay to ask. She adjusted herself in the seat so she was facing the brunette as best she could and Tara did the same.

"Nope. You're my first. What about you?"

"Um, I dated Xander when we were five. Does that count?"

"Did you kiss him?"

"No! I thought boys were gross. Heh. I was a little lesbo even back then. But, no, I just needed someone to play Doctor with."

Tara looked at her wide-eyed, with a hint of amusement.

"Oh. Um, okay. That's…normal."

"What?" Willow asked, confused.

"Playing doctor…"

"Yeah. You know, little plastic hammer, fake stethoscope…"

"Wait. Wait, you mean you actually…played doctor?"

"Tara, I think I'm allowed say this bluntly, 'cause, you know, girlfriend privileges and all. You're making no sense."

"Oh sweetie. 'Playing doctor' is…" Tara giggled again and leaned over to whisper in her girlfriend's ear the colloquial definition of the practice, trying to keep the terminology as technical as possible, to reduce the embarrassment she knew the other girl would have.

She leaned back and saw Willow's face matching her hair and her mouth opening and closing soundlessly until just one word came out.

"Oh," Willow blushed and decided to change the subject, "Um, food?"

"Sure," Tara said, stifling a giggle and leaning over for a quick kiss to reassure the redhead that she didn't think anything bad. In actuality she thought it was quite cute that her girlfriend could be so knowledgeable and so worldly yet could still be innocent.

She went to pull back so they could exit the car but Willow cupped her cheeks and brought her back, murmuring into her lips.

"I promised smoochies."

Tara showed her appreciation by deepening this kiss, trying to dominate the younger girl's tongue as best she could as Willow fought for the same dominance.

The brunette shifted to get a better angle and inadvertently brought her stomach into the gear stick. She tried to ignore the shooting pain that went through her and focus on the much more pleasant experience of Willow's lips, but the redhead felt the change of demeanour in her girl and pulled back.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing," Tara lied badly.

Willow looked at her disbelievingly and the taller girl relented.

"I kind of slammed my stomach into the gear stick," she said, embarrassed.

"Oh, baby," Willow replied, instinctively reaching out and putting her hand under Tara's shirt to rub her stomach, trying to ease any pain she could. She heard a soft gasp from above and finally realised where her hand actually was.

_Is that my hand? Is that actually my hand under her shirt right now?! Uh oh. Wow, her skin is so soft. But I just put my hand on her without asking or anything…Oh god. If I just went a little higher I could be touching…No! Very bad Willow! _

Willow didn't know what to do, she had acted purely on instinct and now was lost in her own thoughts.

Tara saw the inner turmoil crossing her girlfriend's features and gently covered the hand on her belly with her own, removing it from under her shirt. She brought the hand up to her mouth and gave her palm a kiss.

The brunette let the hand go and the smaller girl let it fall against her side. There was a silence for a few moments as both girls were still reeling from the unexpected and new contact, until they smiled shyly at each other. Tara tilted her head to the side and Willow nodded her understanding, getting out of the car.

Tara followed. She locked the car and put her keys in her pocket as Willow came around and their hands met, falling naturally between them. Tara bumped her shoulder playfully against the redhead's.

"I think we should keep our make out sessions to the backseat from now on."


	8. Chapter 8

Willow slid in the plush red leather seat across from Tara in the newly-opened fifties style diner called 'Hop On In.' She giggled as a waitress came to their table looking like she'd been transported straight from the set of Grease, short skirt, knee high socks and a rumpled shirt. She smiled at them and put some menus on the table and told them she'd be back to take their order.

"This place is boss," Willow remarked, trying to keep her tone casual.

"Boss, sweetie?" Tara asked, quirking an eyebrow over her menu.

"Yeah, you know. Hip. Swinging."

"You looked up fifties terms to impress me, huh?"

"Are you impressed?"

"Very."

"Then yes, yes I did. You're also a Dolly and we're jacketed."

"Dolly I can guess…but jacketed?"

"Going steady," Willow explained.

"I think you might just about be the cutest thing I've ever seen. And I was in the same room as a box of puppies once."

Willow grinned in delight at the compliment and went back to scanning her menu. Their waitress came back a minute later, her cheesy smile never leaving her face.

"You guys ready to order?" she asked with a friendly tone.

Willow looked to Tara who nodded slightly.

"Um, yeah. I'll have the tuna melt please and a root beer float," Willow said, putting her menu down.

The waitress nodded and wrote down the order, then turned to Tara.

"Grilled chicken salad and a coke, please."

The waitress scribbled again and took their menus with a smile.

"I'll be right back with your drinks."

She turned on her heels and left, returning a couple of minutes later with two tall glasses, putting each of them down on the table, trying not to interrupt the conversation going on between the two girls.

Willow smiled in thanks as the waitress put their drinks down and departed, not letting her attention leave Tara for more than a second. The brunette was currently telling her about her life in New Jersey.

"Mom worked in the city, so we lived in an apartment block really close to the ferry. You literally walked out the main doors and turned to your right and there was the ferry stop, so it was good for Mom. Plus, you had the New York skyline right on your doorstep. That was one of the weirdest things about moving out here, actually was getting used to living in a house. My place in Jersey had like a gym – uh, not that I ever used it, but it was nice to know it was available. And there was a Starbucks right there and a really nice supermarket right on your doorstep. But it's nice having a house too. Not having to squeeze into an elevator at the morning rush times or make sure the concierge knows the name of every single guest you might have."

Their food arrived just as Willow was about to say something. She held off speaking until they were alone again. Tara speared a piece of lettuce and was chewing when she heard her girlfriend's voice pipe up.

"I always wanted to live in an apartment."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah," Willow answered through bites, "Probably one of those 'grass is always greener' things. Did it snow a lot?"

"Totally. Like six feet of the stuff. Made for plenty of snow days though."

They continued chatting as they ate, Willow filled the other girl in a bit more on her absent parental influence and how Xander and Buffy had been her real family. Tara sympathised and once again felt thankful that she had such a good relationship with her own mother. They moved onto lighter topics, talking about music and television, what classes they liked. When it was time to leave, Willow insisted on paying with Tara agreed to only on the proviso that she got to get the movie tickets.

They walked to the back of the mall where the movie theatre was. They decided on the thriller about the killer child, both thinking the 'scary' factor might affect how close they could be to each other.

Making their way into the theatre, they found it was still fairly empty as there was twenty minutes before the movie started and had a look around. Tara was carrying both the large popcorn and coke that the redhead had ordered while the brunette had gotten the tickets.

"Where do you wanna sit?" Willow whispered.

"Where's it darkest?" Tara whispered back with a smirk on her face.

She saw Willow's face turn up slightly in a grin before the smaller girl led them to seats in the back corner of the theatre. They sat next to each other and Tara settled the popcorn between them, and brought the drink up to take a sip, for the first time noticing the lone piece of plastic sticking out.

"Only one straw?" she asked the redhead.

"We've already swapped saliva," Willow replied with a glint in her eye.

Tara loved the playful banter that existed between them and shot her girlfriend a sultry half-smile in response.

"If you get scared during the movie, I can hold your hand. Or you can use my shoulder to hide in," Willow said, taking a handful of popcorn.

"That's sweet, honey. Same over here. My hand and shoulder are at your disposal."

"Oh thanks, but I don't get scared at movies."

"Never?" Tara asked disbelievingly, handing over the large coke.

Willow took the drink gratefully, getting a warm feeling in the pit of her stomach that they were in synch enough for Tara to just know how she was feeling. One part of her head rationalised that the brunette probably saw how much popcorn she had eaten without drinking anything and knew she would need to, but for once she told her rational side to be quiet so she could enjoy the closeness.

Through logic or not, the fact that Tara seemed to understand her so well sat very nicely with Willow. And she loved that she generally had a similar sense about her the brunette herself. She still found it hard to believe that they'd only been an item for such a short while, she felt like she'd known her forever. Realising she'd gotten lost in her own head and had yet to answer her girlfriend's question, she swallowed the liquid in her mouth and put the drink back in it's pocket.

"Nope. Scare me movies cannot."

"Alright, Yoda," Tara said, smirking, "We'll see."

The lights dimmed at that moment and they settled back as the trailers began playing.

An hour and a half later, the movie was drawing to a close as the child's second attempt at killing her mother failed after already cutting off her father's hand, and she was now being drowned in bath of holy water by the local priest, it was in fact Willow's head that was locked tight against Tara's shoulder, shielding her eyes from the screen with her hand. Her other hand was gripping the brunette's so tightly that both their knuckles were white.

A small trail of blood bubbling up to the top of the bathwater ended the film as the screen faded to black and the credits began to roll.

"You can look, sweetie. It's over," Tara said in a caring voice.

Willow took her hand away from her eyes and lifted her head from Tara's shoulder, so she was sitting up. She let her hand stay in the brunette's but loosened her hold so the circulation could start to flow again.

"I wasn't scared," she said defiantly, despite all her actions proving otherwise.

"Look at me, Will," Tara said in a firm voice.

Willow turned her head to meet Tara's gaze and the taller girl continued speaking.

"You can be scared with me. You don't have to be all strong and brave all the time, 'cause no matter how you feel, you'll always be my girl and I'll always be there to hold your hand, okay?"

Willow nodded and again felt that utter contentment again that Tara understood her so definitively.

"In that case, I was terrified," she said with a small smile.

"And would you look at that," Tara said, smiling and bringing their conjoined hands up between them, "Hand holding."

"C'mere gorgeous," Willow replied with a goofy smile on her face, "We sat in these seats so I could kiss you inconspicuously and I was too busy being frightened of a fake child to take advantage of you. Of that fact! Take advantage of that fact."

Tara giggled at the redhead's verbal slip as the smaller girl started blushing and leaned over to capture her lips. Willow smiled into the kiss and sucked the brunette's bottom lip into her mouth, eliciting a moan from the other girl that Willow decided she very much liked hearing.

Sounds of rustling to their side broke them away from each other. Willow looked over Tara's shoulder and saw that a handful of ushers had made their way into the theatre and were collecting the abandoned garbage.

"I think that's our cue to leave," she said when Tara looked over her own shoulder as well and saw the people.

Tara smirked and stood up, taking Willow with her through their still-conjoined hands. They walked out of the theatre with a few curious glances from the ushers and out into the carpark.

"I love going into a building when it's light out and coming out when its dark. You don't notice that twilight period so it really kind of hits you full force. Is that stupid?" Tara asked as they strolled towards Alexis.

"No way. It totally makes sense. It's appealing to the English lover in you. Seeing conflicts and contrasts in everyday life. Comparing them. It's the same for me but with scientific notions."

"So you're saying we're similar?"

"Yep. But different. I think it's why we work so well. Why we get each other."

"You're very philosophical tonight," Tara said with a smile as she unlocked the car, "I like it."

"I like you. And I like to think. So when I combine the two, good thoughts tend to come out."

Willow jumped in the passenger seat and did her seatbelt up as Tara did the same on the driver's side.

"Are you ever not thinking?" the brunette asked as she started the engine.

"Well in the last few day's I've found that a certain someone's lips cut all coherent thought right out."

Tara smiled a small smile as she drove towards the Rosenberg house.

"It's…um, you're talking about mine, right?" she asked, a sudden insecurity plaguing her for reasons completely unknown.

"O-of course I am, Tara," Willow replied, taken aback by the apprehensive tone in the taller girl's voice.

"I know," Tara replied, feeling silly for her brief self-doubting moment, and chuckled to lighten the mood, "I used to stutter, you know. Pretty badly. Mom took me to a speech therapist when I was really young to try and overcome it. Two actually. Ironically the first one had a bit of an odd therapy method and made me feel so bad about the fact that I had a stutter that it just made me stutter more. The second one was much nicer. I was speaking completely evenly after a year with her."

"I can't wait to meet your Mom. She sounds really nice."

"Maybe you can have dinner at mine sometime this week?"

"Really?" Willow liked the idea but was nervous about actually meeting her girlfriend's mother.

"Hey, I met your Dad."

"Yeah, but I'd be introduced to your Mom as your girlfriend," as soon as Willow had said it she realised she liked how it sounded, "I'm in. But can we make it later in the week? I need some time to mentally fret. It's just my way."

"Sure," Tara giggled, pulling up outside Willow's house, "Whenever you want."

"Good. So I have to spend time with my parents tomorrow. They like to keep up the appearance that they actually care sometimes."

Tara reached out to place a hand on the redhead's knee in comfort.

"But I'll see you Monday, right?" Willow finished.

"Absolutely. You want a lift in to school?"

"Oh. I normally just walk."

"Well, see, you've got connections now, Rosenberg. What's the point of having a girlfriend with a car if I can't drive you places?"

"Um, parking," Willow answered with a giggle as if it was obvious, "But I'm not gonna say no to spending more time with you."

"Cool."

Willow looked into her driveway and saw the porch-light on, so she leaned over to kiss the brunette, pulling back quickly. Her parents weren't home enough for anyone else knowing about her and Tara to be a threat, but being just outside her house with shining lights around, well, it was risky to say the least. "I had great time, baby. Text me. And thank you for the flowers," she said as she reached into the backseat and took the bouquet, before opening her door, "I'll run up to my room with them when I get in."

Tara nodded her understanding and winked at her girl.

"Sweet dreams, beautiful. Oh and Will, remember, the killer kid was just a movie character, okay? Don't be scared to go asleep."


	9. Chapter 9

"Ugh."

Three faces looked up to see Anya walking towards them.

"You will not believe what just happened," Anya continued, throwing her bag down on the grass of the quad and sitting beside Buffy, across from Willow, who was sitting between Tara's legs, leaning back against her and eating an apple.

Xander had been home with laryngitis for the past two days and Anya was missing her boyfriend. This latest occurrence had put her in an even worse mood.

"What's up, Anya?" Buffy asked.

The only good thing about Xander being gone was that Anya had actually felt liked by his friends. It's not that they were ever mean before, but she had been unsure of how exactly she fit in, but they had all acted as normal around her, like friends, even with Xander gone, and that was something she was happy about - a little bit relieved too. Not that she'd ever admit it though, she was content to keep those feelings to herself. Actually acknowledging them would make her vulnerable.

"I was just with Snyder. I've been kicked out of one of my classes. Apparently I give too much commentary. Since when is wanting to talk about a subject in class a bad thing?!"

"What class was it?" Willow asked through bites.

"Economics. I just suggested that the textbook was too biased towards the ethics section."

"Well that sucks. But you get free periods now rights, that's of the good," Buffy sympathised.

"No. I have to transfer. The only class with any availability is Art. I am not an artist. I can't even draw a straight line with a ruler," Anya groaned exasperatedly, dropping her head into her lap.

"You'll be in my Art class then," Tara piped up for the first time, her arms wrapped around Willow's middle.

She had collected and dropped home the redhead each day that week, apart from Tuesday afternoon when the smaller girl had to stay back for debate practice. It was now Friday and Willow was coming over to Tara's house that evening for dinner, officially meeting Tara's Mom for the first time. The younger girl was nervous, wanting to make a good impression and the brunette had started rubbing her shoulders during this lunchtime to try and ease the tension, which resulted in the comfortable position they were currently in.

Anya looked pleasantly surprised at this development.

"Really? I thought I was going to be stuck in there with the hippies and feminists drawing pictures of women's-"

"We're looking at hidden images at the moment," Tara interrupted before Anya could finish her sentence, "Ink drawings and stuff."

"Well at least I'll have a friend in there."

Tara heard the slightly insecure tone in Anya's voice, hidden amongst her general loudness, but there nonetheless.

"Yeah," she said with a warm and reassuring smile, "You will."

Anya acted nonchalant but Tara saw a happy glint in her eye at her words.

"So that guy Parker called me," Buffy said to the group.

"The guy you met at the Bronze?" Willow asked.

She had called Buffy after her dinner and movie date with Tara and they had exchanged tales about their evening, in the process of which Willow had learned of a guy named Parker that her best friend had shared a few dances and was now smitten with.

"The studly hunk you were dancing with on Saturday?" Anya asked.

"The very one. Asked if I wanted to do something tomorrow. Well, yesterday he said tomorrow, so today. Tonight. We're going out. He's collecting me in his car and everything."

"There's many advantages to dating someone with a car, Buff," Willow smirked and Tara blushed, thinking of the make-out sessions that Alexis' back seat had provided a safe haven for, especially in the mornings before school started, the time saved from driving and not walking giving them ample opportunity.

"And I'm still stuck riding on the bar of Xander's bike. I don't know why his parents won't let him use their car. It's not like they're ever sober enough to use it themselves," Anya scowled.

"Um, anyway," Buffy continued, "I really like him. He's super sweet. He even called me princess."

There was a chorus of 'Awws' from the other girls.

"Where does he go to school?" Tara asked.

"Oh he's a sophomore," Buffy said, biting her lip, "At UCSD."

Willow's eyes widened slightly, Tara felt her tense up and placed a quick kiss on her neck.

"Uh, Buff, I know you're a smart girl and you don't need me to say this, but…"

"I know, Willow. I'm not gonna do anything I don't want."

"Cool. Well that's good then and I'm happy for you."

"Me too, Buffy," Tara said with a smile.

"And you know, older guy, he'll know how to please," Anya interjected.

"Um, thanks for the…encouragement, guys."

"So where is he taking you?" Willow asked.

"Some friends of his are in a band that are playing on campus."

"Oh, Carry My Baby To Sea?"

"Um, yeah, I think that's what he called them. Do you know them, Anya?"

"No, me and Xander were gonna go to the show before he got sick. I have the flyer at home so I remembered the name. The frontman is a hottie."

"Cute guy, music and dancing. I am very much looking forward to my night. What're you all up to?" Buffy asked with a broad smile, happy she had such a good group of friends she could talk with.

"Soup."

Anya's answer was met by a circle of confused faces.

"I have to bring Xander soup. I was told it was what a girlfriend does when their boyfriend…or um," she glanced at Willow and Tara, "Well, when their person is sick."

"That's sweet, Ahn," Tara said.

"Yeah, well…what are our Sapphic duo doing?"

"Willow's meeting my Mom," Tara said, squeezing her girlfriend's middle section, eliciting a playful giggle and a squirm from the redhead.

"I though you two were keeping a low profile with the parentals?" Buffy asked.

"Only mine," Willow answered, sighing at the reality, "Ms. Maclay is already cool about us."

"Are you worried that she'll think you're defiling her daughter and sneak rat poison into your food? I saw that in a magazine article once."

Willow's head spun around to look not at Anya who she would expect to come out a statement like that, but at Buffy.

"I-I am now!"

"Honey, shush, she's not gonna try and poison you," Tara reassured, glaring daggers at her girlfriend's best friend.

"Yeah, Willow, just, you know dress well and make a good first impression."

"You're right, Anya," Willow said, jumping up, inadvertently making Tara fall backwards. She surprised everyone else by turning on her heels and running towards the entrance of the school.

"Will, where are you going?!" Buffy shouted after her.

"To get new socks!" Willow shouted back.

"Oh. Of course. New socks. Why does she need new socks?"

"Anya said dress well," Tara explained absently, having recovered from her slight tumble. She got on her feet and looked towards where her girlfriend had run off, "I gotta go after her."

She ran off in the same direction, leaving both Buffy and Anya looking on, bewildered.

Tara caught up with the redhead just as she was about to leave the school grounds, grabbing onto her from behind. Willow struggled instinctively for a moment before relaxing and turning in the brunette's arms, hugging her.

"You chilled, sweetie?" Tara whispered into her ear after a minute.

Willow nodded into the taller girl's shoulder and Tara walked them to a bench that was near them.

Willow sat and brought her hand up to her temples, rubbing them before she laughed self-deprecatingly.

"I am such a spaz."

"You're my spaz. And you know, your socks are fine," Tara said with a grin.

"I know. But what if your mom does think I'm…I'm defiling you, or I'm wrong for you or, or she hates Jews!"

"Sweetie, she grew up in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. I promise she doesn't hate Jews. And she's heard me gushing enough about you to know you're not wrong for me. She also respects my decisions and knows that if we were being…intimate, that I wouldn't let it be about anything but love and respect. And, you know, I'd probably tell her."

"You'd, you'd…tell her?" Willow asked, gobsmacked.

"I mean, not in detail or anything, but she'd probably know anyway. We're pretty close, Will. Look, that's not even an issue, so lets not worry about it, okay?"

Willow's head was spinning slightly and she took a deep breath to gather her thoughts.

"Okay. Freak-out over. What kind of flowers does your Mom like?"

"You don't have to get-"

"Please, Tara."

"Lilies. She likes lilies."

There was a loud ringing in the distance signalling the end of lunch. Both girls stood up and started back towards the school wordlessly. Willow stopped at her locker to get some books, and Tara leant against the other ones, waiting for her.

"So I'll meet you at Alexis after school?" Willow asked as she loaded some books into her bag.

"Sure. Do you want me to collect you for dinner too?"

"No, I'll walk. But thanks," Willow said as she closed her locker, "Better get to class."

They moved off and towards their respective classrooms. Tara stopped outside her English class and gave her girlfriend a quick peck.

"Willow, promise me you won't get all nervous and jittery when you're in Chemistry? I don't want your beautiful hair getting singed by a Bunsen Burner."


	10. Chapter 10

Willow stood on the porch of her girlfriend's house, a small bungalow, trying to manoeuvre the two bouquets of flowers in her hand so she could ring the doorbell. She had picked up the flowers on the way here, not wanting to rise any suspicions from her parents by leaving the house with them. She looked down at her outfit; a simple skirt and blouse ensemble that she hoped would give a good impression without seeming too showy.

Balancing both bouquets on her left arm, she reached out and pressed the button, hearing the ringing sound reverberate from inside the house. A couple of seconds later, Willow was looking up at a smiling dark-haired woman. She was surprised to see the woman had the exact same shade of vibrant blue eyes that her girlfriend had. She opened her mouth to try and speak, but nothing came out. Quickly clearing her throat to try and get some of the moisture back that had been lost from her nervousness, she tried to speak again and thanked every deity known to man that actual sound came out at this attempt.

"Um, hi."

She quickly retracted her thanks to the gods and inwardly kicked herself for not being able to come up with anything better than 'hi'.

"Willow, right?"

"Yeah. Yes. I'm Willow. Um, Rosenberg. It's very nice to meet you, Ms. Maclay," Willow said nervously and thrust the slightly larger bouquet, filled with lilies, into her hands.

"Oh, wow, Willow, these are beautiful, thank you. Come in, come in. And please, call me Jen," Jen said, ushering the redhead inside the door.

Willow walked into the Maclay's hallway, the soft lighting and burgundy walls giving off a peaceful atmosphere. She looked at Jen again and marvelled at how similar she was to Tara, they had the same shaped face, same body movements. They even walked the same way. The only notable differences she could pinpoint were age and hair colour – Ms. Maclay's was slightly darker. At the same moment she was comparing the two, Tara came up from the side of her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Willow spun around at the contact and gave her girlfriend a winning smile.

"Tara! Hi. I, um, brought you flowers. You said you liked daises in Biology earlier this week so I got you daises. And I got your Mom lilies, 'cause you told me that earlier that they were her favourites when I spazzed out about my socks. And your house is really nice, I meant to say that to you, Ms. Maclay," she said, turning to Jen, "Very beautiful house, like your daughter, and its all relaxing, like I feel when I'm around your daughter. And, um, did I mention I like your daughter?"

"Once or twice. And I'm very glad to hear it. Does she do that a lot?" Jen asked her daughter, an amused smile on her face.

"Usually just when she's nervous. Either that or she says nothing at all, like when she kissed me in the locker rooms."

"Um, standing right here! And, could we not talk about my moment of insanity please," Willow huffed, but had a small smile on her face.

"Sorry, honey," Tara said, genuinely apologetic, "I love my flowers."

She brought the bouquet up to her nose and inhaled their scent.

"Why don't you put them in your room, Tara. I'll have dinner ready in ten minutes," Jen offered, figuring Willow would be more comfortable if she had some alone time with Tara.

"Thanks Mom," Tara replied, taking Willow's hand and leading her down the hallway towards her bedroom. She held the door open for her girlfriend, who walked inside the room.

"Hey, I love your room!" Willow gushed, taking in her surroundings, the lilac walls softly illuminated by the string of fairy lights hanging above Tara's desk. Her double bed was pushed against the far wall, just under the large bay windows and there was an armchair beside the desk, facing towards the bed. She walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, jumping up and down slightly when she felt how bouncy the mattress was. Tara giggled at her.

"I'll be back in a second, sweetie," the brunette said, going out of the room.

She came back a minute later, the flowers in a simple glass vase. She put them on her desk, smiling at them fondly for a few seconds before joining Willow, sitting beside her on the bed.

"Your Mom is really nice," Willow ventured, relaxing, "I mean, I knew she would be to raise someone as great as you, but, you know. She seems great."

"Well I'm glad you think that. I really want you two to get along," Tara said shyly.

"Um, is it okay… Can I kiss you?"

"You know you don't have to ask…"

"I mean, here. With your Mom just down the hall…"

"It's not like you're trying to jump my bones, honey. But I find it incredibly sweet that you would ask."

"Good. So I'm just gonna go ahead and…" Willow started, leaning forward to meet Tara's lips, inadvertently bumping her nose against the brunette's, "Ow."

Tara stroked the other girl's cheek, not able to help the small smile on her lips as she saw Willow start to pout. She put a kiss on the top of her girl's nose then one on her jutting-out lower lip.

Willow smiled sheepishly.

"My nose still hurts. I think it needs to be kissed better," she said with a grin.

"Oh really?"

"Yes. And it's your duty as my girlfriend to provide said kisses."

"Duty? Oh no. What was it you said last week? Girlfriend privileges. Kissing you is definitely a privilege. Your nose hurts?"

Willow nodded, full puppy dog eyes and pout in effect.

Tara leaned forward and put another kiss on the redhead's nose.

"Better?"

"Hmm…maybe. But now my cheek is jealous."

Tara saw where this was going and grinned broadly.

"Well we can't have that. I've heard those zygomatics can be prone to bursts of rage," she joked, placing two kisses on each cheek.

"You know your bones," Willow giggled, impressed.

"Uh huh…and I think your clavicle is looking a little lonely too," Tara replied, dropping her head and kissing up Willow's collarbone.

"Uh…yeah…was lonely," Willow sighed, loving the attention, "Not just bones though. Joints…muscles…arteries…"

Tara let her lips follow up to the smaller girl's neck.

"Like the carotid?" she breathed, placing a light kiss on Willow's pulse point, feeling it move beneath her lips.

"Oh carotid is definitely good," Willow almost moaned as Tara started sucking on her flesh.

The sound of something falling outside of Tara's room broke them away from each other. Tara looked at where she had paid quite a bit of attention to her girlfriend's neck and bit her lip, looking at the redhead apologetically.

"I think that might leave a mark."

"Really?!" Willow asked, jumping up to examine herself in Tara's full-length mirror.

"Sorry," Tara said, hanging her head.

"What?" Willow asked, turning around to see her girlfriend looking shamefaced, "Are you kidding, Tara? You gave me my first hickey! I'm gonna wear it with pride! I mean, I might be hide it a bit around your Mom, but other than that…"

"Speaking of Mom…" Tara said, relieved she hadn't done anything to upset the redhead or jeopardise their relationship.

"Oh yeah, dinner! I'm so excited."

"I thought you were nervous?"

"I was. But now I've met your Mom, albeit briefly, but still. And I dunno, I feel really…at home. I always feel like that around you."

Tara got up from her place on the bed and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's waist, leaning in for a chaste kiss. She pulled back and took her hand, leading her out the door and towards the kitchen. Jen looked up as two smiling girls entered the room, hand-in-hand.

"So what were you two talking about in there?" she asked.

"Facial structure," Tara said easily.

Willow tried to stop the blush from rising in her cheeks and pulled at the collar of her shirt.

Jen smiled at the girls and picked up the glass dish she had just taken out of the oven.

"I hope you like lasagne, Willow," she said, bringing it over and putting it in the middle of the table.

"Oh, I love it," Willow reassured, taking a seat at the table, Tara sitting beside her, "Thank you, Ms. Maclay."

"Please, call me Jen. Only my boss calls me Ms. Maclay and I don't like him very much," Jen said, winking at Willow.

"Well thank you very much, Jen," Willow said, feeling at ease with calling her girlfriend's mother by her first name, surprising herself as she still couldn't call Buffy's Mom anything but Mrs. Summers and she'd known her for over two years. She put it down to that calming effect the Maclay women seemed to have on her.

Jen walked back over to the counter and came back with a bowl of salad and some garlic bread.

"Dig in," she said, taking a seat opposite the couple and cutting the lasagne, placing a piece on each of their plates.

"This is delicious, Mom," Tara said after she'd taken her first bite.

"It really is," Willow agreed, putting some salad on her plate.

"So Tara tells me you're a math whiz," Jen started the conversation, "Well, from how she goes on, an everything whiz really."

"If ever a whiz there was," Tara said with a smirk.

"I'm, um, okay," Willow said with a blush, "I like school."

"Well that's a good thing. School is important."

Willow nodded at the older Maclay, stopped from speaking by the food she was chewing. She swallowed and took a sip from the glass of water laid out in front of her.

"That's what I tell Buffy and Xander, they're my friends…our friends," she corrected herself, "They call themselves 'school unfriendly'."

"I've heard about them," Jen said with a smile, "And Xander's girlfriend…Anya?"

"Yeah…We didn't really get on when they first started dating, about six months ago. She can be kind of…"

"Refreshingly honest," Tara interjected.

"But she's a nice girl," Willow continued, smiling at Tara for helping, "And if Xander's happy, I'm happy."

"Well I'm glad you all seem to be such a close group. It's nice to finally see Tara with some friends."

"Mom…"

"Well it is, sugar. You've been lonely for far too long."

Tara closed her eyes in embarrassment and felt a hand move to entwine with hers. She smiled and squeezed Willow's hand, before moving the conversation to more neutral ground, talking about the teachers in school.

An hour later, all three plates were cleared and they had managed to avoid any awkward or embarrassing topics, both Willow and Jen satisfied that they'd learnt a bit more about each other.

"It was very nice meeting you, Willow. You know you're welcome here anytime," Jen said from the doorway as Willow was getting set to leave.

"Thank you, Jen. It was very nice meeting you too. I know where Tara gets her great personality from," Willow replied.

"That was really cheesy, Will," Tara laughed, leaning against the open doorway.

"Oh shush, it was very nice of you to say, Willow," Jen said, shooting Tara a scolding look.

"I'll walk you to the gate, sweetie," Tara said, talking her girlfriend's hand, "I'll see you inside, Mom."

She said the word 'inside' with emphasis, and Jen chuckled.

"Right. Kissing in front of your mother is not cool."

"Mom…"

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving," Jen finished and turned on her heels, closing the front door behind her.

Tara pulled Willow beside her so their shoulders were touching as they walked down to the small gate that separated the Maclay household from the main street. They stopped in front of it.

"I'm glad you came over tonight," Tara said softly.

"Me too," Willow said as quiet before putting her hands on Tara's hips and leaning up for a kiss.

The brunette met her halfway and swung her arms around Willow's neck, pulling her in closer. She ran her tongue over the redhead's bottom lip and Willow instantly opened her mouth, letting her in, in what was now a well-practiced rhythm. They stayed locked against each other until a passing car beeped their horn, and the back window rolled down.

"Hey, ladies, want a real man to join? Whoooo!"

The car was down the street before either girl had even registered what happened or had a chance to respond.

"Assholes," Willow muttered under her breath.

"Forget about them," Tara said, leaning down for a final peck and letting her arms fall to her side.

Willow opened the gate and walked through it.

"See you soon?" she asked, closing it behind her.

"Of course. Text me when you get home, let me know you're safe. And, um, hide your neck from your parents."

"Oh right, yeah," Willow replied, adjusting her collar again, "Thanks. Bye, baby."

"Bye, honey."

Tara watched Willow walk down the street until she turned the corner and was out of her sight. She then turned and walked back into her house, going into the living room where he mother was sitting on the sofa, flicking through a magazine. She plopped down beside her, grinning from ear to ear.

"She's a keeper, sugar."

"I know she is, Mom. I know."


	11. Chapter 11

"Listen up, students," Mr. Bellows said from behind his desk.

Willow put her pen down diligently at the sound of her Biology teacher's voice, nudging Tara do to the same.

"You always do what you're told?" Tara whispered good-naturedly, putting her own pen down nonetheless.

"It's a teacher!" Willow whispered back, but the start of a grin on the corners of her mouth gave away her 'not-so-entirely-innocent' act.

The weeks had passed by in somewhat of a flurry, as the school term settled down, the teachers got much stricter and harder with homework. Willow and Tara had made it a habit of studying together at least once a week and having one evening that was just for them, even if it was just watching a movie in one of their bedrooms.

Tara had also gotten to know Buffy, Xander and Anya a lot better and felt fully immersed within the group of friends. Almost every Saturday night was spent at the Bronze, the two couples and Buffy, who after a disastrous date with Parker, where he'd almost forced her back to his dorm room before she kicked him in the shins and ran away, had sworn off men.

The only hard time had been over Christmas when Tara and her mother had gone to spend the holidays with her grandparents in New York for a full week. Willow had been like a lost puppy, moping around the house. Tara had felt a similar way but got to be distracted slightly by the fact that she hadn't seen her grandparents in six months and they had a lot to catch up on. Which happened to include many photos of Willow.

They'd spent hours on the phone one particular night a couple of days after Christmas, when Tara had looked out her bedroom window and seen a steady falling of snow, glistening in the moonlight. The beautiful sight reminded her of her girlfriend, delicate and soft and definitely unique. She'd called the redhead up to specifically to tell her how beautiful she was and had bought matching snow globes for the two of them the next day, a couple standing in central park, the figures too small to be gender-definitive, with snow falling all over them.

She figured with them living in Southern California it was the best she could do to share the snow with her girlfriend. Willow had loved the globe and shaken it excitedly when she got it, putting it on her windowsill so she could think of the scene anytime she looked out. She had said that she wished they were the couple in the globe, smiles always plastered on their faces, together, and surrounded by snow, and Tara had laughed, saying that the redhead was like a star catcher, making a wish like that, and that their faces would get sore from all the smiling.

Once Willow had understood that the brunette meant 'making a wish on a star' as oppose to the My Little Pony 'Star Catcher' (which she happened to have a toy of, still, from a brief obsession she had gone through in her pre-teen years), she had agreed a life in a plastic bubble might not be the best idea, but held firm that the hugging forever would be fun, which Tara could do nothing but agree whole heartedly.

Now it was late January and Tara was starting to wonder what to get Willow for her birthday, it was only two weeks away and she was at a loss. She'd gotten her a scented candle set for the holidays and had received a super-cute hot chocolate set with a large mug and little teddy that said 'Best Girlfriend' across it's stomach. She kept the teddy on her bedside locker next to a framed picture of her and Willow in the park, arms wrapped around each other.

She was pulled from her train of thought as Mr. Bellows continued to speak.

"We're going on a two-day, two-night ecology field trip to Kingston National Park next week, it is not mandatory but I advise anyone who wants to get a good grade to go. We'd be leaving the 22nd, that's next Friday, after school and returning the 24th-"

"No!"

Willow's outburst startled both the teacher and the rest of the students, including Tara who was looking at her strangely.

"I meant, yes!" Willow chuckled nervously off the looks, "Yay to a field trip. Learning in action. Plants and animal life, very good things to know about. So yay to going away. Between the 22nd and 24th. Which has the 23rd in between those dates."

"Um, yes, Ms. Rosenberg. It's nice to see such…enthusiasm? Anyway, I need numbers and permission slips back by this Thursday latest-"

Mr. Bellows sighed exasperatedly as he was cut off again, this time by the bell signalling the end of class.

"Pick up a slip before you go," he finished as students started packing up and leaving the classroom.

Tara slung her bag over her shoulder and went to grab two slips, waiting for her girlfriend at the doorframe. Willow walked up with a solemn look on her face and took Tara's hand, giving her a weak smile as they walked towards the quad.

"What's wrong, beautiful?" Tara asked as they took a seat at their usual lunch table, where the others would be joining them soon.

Willow looked at her and Tara was shocked to see tears filling her eyes.

"Don't do that. Don't call me beautiful," the redhead said in a small voice, the tone and actual words alarming Tara even more.

"Willow…?"

"It's not fair."

"Are…are you breaking up with me?" Tara asked, completely confused by this turn of events. Up until they'd heard about the field trip, nothing had been wrong and now Willow was acting incredibly strange.

"Tara, no! It's just that field trip…it's on over the 23rd."

"The 23rd?" Tara asked, thoroughly confused yet again, "What's the 23rd?"

"Our three month anniversary," Willow said softly.

"Oh," Tara said, surprised and ashamed that she hadn't remembered, "I can't believe I didn't…"

"Shush, it's okay. It's not like it's a special-"

"It's special to me. And it's clearly special to you. I'm so sorry, honey."

"I was gonna make you dinner, you know candles and everything. Everything you deserve, but you shouldn't be calling me beautiful 'cause now I can't give you what you deserve."

"Um, sweetie, you can't cook."

"Fine, so I was gonna order in, you know, candles and everything," Willow replied with a slight laugh.

"We can still do that…"

"But not on the real date."

"Well how about we do the anniversary dinner when we come back and we'll sneak off on the actual day for some alone time. I'll bring a candle and everything. And I will never stop calling you beautiful, 'cause you will never be anything but beautiful."

"You always know just what to say to make me feel better. How do you do that?"

"A little bit of Tara-magic," the brunette joked.

Willow thought about said Tara-magic, specifically the magic she seemed to give out through her lips and looked around the quad for a minute.

"Wanna go make out behind the bleachers? We need to leave now before the gang get here."

"You read my mind, Ms. Rosenberg," Tara replied, standing up and dragging Willow towards the football field at the back of the school.

"There you are!" Anya exclaimed as Tara came into their Art class, still flushed from spending the best part of the last hour with her lips attached to Willow's, "I thought you abandoned me to go have sex with your redhead."

"Anya, keep your voice down, please," Tara replied in a whisper, slipping into a seat beside her friend, "And we're not having sex."

"Don't tell Xander, you'll break his little heart. The only thing that's little about him, by the way."

Tara decided to ignore the last comment and instead bring up her present dilemma.

"I need some advice," she said, picking up a pencil to sketch the bowl of fruit that had been placed in the middle of the room.

"Shoot," Anya said, inwardly delighted that someone would ask her opinion on anything.

"Willow's birthday is coming up. I don't know what to get her. I was thinking maybe this necklace I saw in the mall? Its white gold with two little hearts dangling from it."

"Sounds expensive. My kind of present."

"It is a bit, but my grandparents paid for my car insurance for Christmas so I have some spare cash."

"Well, do you love her?"

Tara was taken aback by the question, but found as soon as Anya had said it both her head and heart screamed 'yes' right at her.

"I really do," she replied, a goofy smile on her face at the realisation.

"Well then a heart necklace sounds good."

"Cool. Thank you, Anya. Oh and could we keep what we talked out just between us for now?"

"Like a secret? So we're like friends with a secret?"

"Yeah. Exactly. You're a really good friend, Anya."

Anya nodded her head, a grin on her face before going back to her sketch, looking smug the entire time.

* * *

"Willster!" Xander shouted as Willow came into the library, a loud 'shush' coming from where the librarian was sitting at her desk.

He looked sheepish for a second before mouthing a 'sorry' towards the woman.

Willow came over and sat at the table that both Buffy and Xander were sitting at. They were all supposed to be in History right now but their teacher hadn't shown up for school that day so the entire class had been sent to the library.

"Missed ya during lunch," Xander said with a genuine smile.

"Sorry guys. Some plans of mine got rained on and Tara had to calm me down."

"What happened?" Buffy asked, stopping any pretence of actually working by closing her book and resting her head on her hand.

"Biology fieldtrip during mine and Tara's three month anniversary."

"Ah," Xander nodded, having learnt the hard way that anniversaries, no matter how minor they seem, are very, _very _important.

Anya had refused to speak to him for a week when he had neglected to do anything to mark the one-month anniversary of the first time he had bought her a gift. Ironically, he couldn't even remember what that first gift had been, but apparently it had been important to Anya. Much grovelling and promises of seeing whatever movies she wanted for the following month had finally seen him back in the good books.

"You can still do something, right? I mean when you get back…wait, isn't Tara in your Biology class?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded wordlessly.

"So you'll still be together for the day?" The athletic brunette continued.

"Yeah…"

"Willow, even I, with all my horrible luck with relationships, knows that that's all that matters."

"I know," Willow said with a sheepish smile, "But, uh, I wanted it to be special. I was, you know, gonna tell her I love her."

Buffy squealed excitedly, eliciting another 'shush' and stern gaze from the librarian.

"Jeez that woman needs to get a life outside of books," Buffy sneered.

"Wow, Will, you're in love?" Xander asked, legitimately happy for his friend.

"Yeah. I mean, my heart starts beating crazy fast every time I see her or hear her name. Hell, even if I think about her. And I just want to be touching her every second and make her smile. I'm in love with her," Willow stopped and giggled for a second, "Wow, that's the first time I've said it aloud. I mean, I've thought it, a lot. But I've never said it. I love her. I love Tara Maclay."

"That's great for you, but some people are trying to study over here," a disgruntled senior said from a table opposite before gathering his books and moving farther away.

"Oopps," Willow said, shrugging, "I don't know how to do it though. I mean do I just say 'I love you' or do I make a little speech or…?"

"You could put it on a little cupcake. Frosting and sugary deliciousness…" Xander suggested.

"I think you'll know when the time is right…" Buffy said, then looked thoughtful for a moment, "Or a cupcake. Man, I want a cupcake."

Willow giggled, thankful, not for the first time and she knew not for the last, that she had great friends.

"Thanks guys. Oh and could we, ah, keep this to ourselves? I really don't want the last person who knows that I love Tara to be Tara."


	12. Chapter 12

"Willow? Honey? Wake up, sweetie," Tara nudged her girlfriend who had fallen asleep on her shoulder during the two-hour bus trip to Kingston National Park where their field trip was taking place.

Willow just cuddled in closer and made no effort to wake up. Tara brought a hand up to cup her cheek and stroked it with her thumb. She quickly looked down the aisle of the bus and when she saw that no one was looking, placed a quick kiss on top of Willow's head.

The smaller girl's eyes fluttered open when she felt the familiar tingle she got whenever Tara's lips touched her. She felt her girlfriend cupping her cheek and leaned into the touch, revelling in the warmth. She kissed her thumb, alerting the brunette to her awake status.

"Sorry, baby. Didn't mean to fall asleep," she said, sitting up.

"I think you were dreaming. You kept jumping around and mumbling."

"Yeah. Apparently I sleep talk. Nothing embarrassing I hope?"

"You were speaking too low to hear. We're almost at the park."

"Oh. Oh!" Willow said, looking out the windows and seeing the tree's and water go by, "It's pretty."

There was only twenty students on the trip, with two teachers and despite Willow's initial dismay at the timing, she was quite looking forward to being able to study the plant and animal life of the park. Plus the idea of smoochies hidden behind a tree appealed to her too. The bus pulled up at a large area of grass with a small wooden cabin to the side.

Everyone walked out of the bus, stretching from having to sit for so long and collected their bags from the compartment at the side of the vehicle. The two teachers were going over lists and standing around a large pile of something, Willow couldn't tell what.

"Okay," Ms. Pullman, the other Biology teacher spoke up, "Gather 'round."

The students all stood, surrounding the teachers.

"Behind us," Mr Bellows continued, "Are your tents. They're each two-person, so join up with your lab partner, except those of you with an opposite sex partner, will those people please go to Ms. Pullman now."

A small group of people went over to the woman, while the rest stayed around Mr. Bellows.

"We're sleeping in tents?" One of the other girls piped up, "As in, not covered by protective housing shelter?"

Willow had assumed they would be sleeping in cabins as well, but wasn't too upset by the development. She looked over to Tara, who was giving her a curious glance. It was then she remembered that she was, in fact, Tara's lab partner and therefore would be sharing a tent with her. She winked at her girlfriend, who smiled shyly back.

"It won't kill you for a few nights. You were told to bring sleeping bags, I'm surprised you didn't put two and two together," Mr. Bellows sighed, before pointing to his left at the wood building, "That cabin there has toilets and showers, gender separated, which are ours for the weekend. Mrs. Pullman and I will be making hot dogs and hamburgers in a while. We'll be splitting up into groups tomorrow morning and exploring the park. Right now, you need to set up your tents, anywhere in this open vicinity is fine."

With that, the teacher picked up his own tent and went over to a shaded area of the land. Tara grabbed one of the bags that had the tent and all it's components and nodded for Willow to follow her.

Willow ran along after her, falling into step fairly quickly.

"Where do you wanna set up?" she asked the brunette.

"Um…here," Tara said, dropping both the bag with the tent and her own overnight bag.

They were at the furthest corner of the field, everyone else having started to set up in the middle, so they were closer to the bathrooms. Willow seemed to be thinking that as well.

"But what if I have to pee at like 3am and its all cold and I have to walk across the long field?" she pouted.

"Well…" Tara said, quirking an eyebrow at her playfully, "You'll just have to not drink anything before bed. Besides, if you get cold, I can warm you up. Of course, if the seemingly oblivious teachers were to catch on to the real nature of our relationship, we wouldn't be allowed to share a tent…which would make it hard to do said warming up."

"You are very smart Ms. Maclay," Willow said, taking in all the information. Her mind was stuck on the promise of being warmed up. That would involved being close. Very close. She vowed to accidentally-on-purpose 'forget' to wear the jacket she had brought, "You know I'm kinda cold now."

"Oh really?"

Tara had noticed the glazed over look her girlfriend had gotten at the mention of warming. She too very much liked the idea of being able to cuddle with the redhead.

"Oh yeah," Willow nodded eagerly.

"Well then," the brunette replied, taking the tent bag and putting it in the smaller girl's hands, "Getting the tent up will get your blood pumping."

"Wha…? But! Oh okay, fine," Willow relented, emptying the contents and picking up the poles to put them together.

Tara chuckled and laid out the tent, ready to be held up by the poles Willow was constructing. When the redhead finished a moment later, she grabbed one end and put it through. Willow followed her lead and ten minutes later, Tara was driving the final tent peg into the ground, securing it.

"We make a good team," Willow said with a smile.

"We do," Tara agreed, "We should put our bags inside in case it rains or something."

"And I again I proclaim your never-ending wisdom. Inside we shall go," Willow said, picking up her bag and unzipping the front of the tent before going inside.

Tara watched her bend over and licked her lips subconsciously, her mouth going dry at Willow's pert little ass sticking out. She had a sudden urge to reach out and grab the firm flesh, shocking herself at the powerful wave of desire she felt. Grabbing her bag to keep her hands occupied she followed the redhead inside and sat down; glad they had set up on a particularly grassy area, making the ground soft. She heard Willow gasp and start rummaging in and around her bag.

"What's up?" she asked concerned.

"I… My sleeping bag…I thought I had it tied onto my actual bag…but I must have left it in my locker."

"We can share mine."

"Are you sure? It would be kinda…"

"Cosy?"

"Yeah," Willow chuckled, "But cosy's okay?"

"Definitely okay."

"Okay then. Thank you."

"No problem," Tara replied.

She wondered if she had been a bit hasty in offering to share her sleeping bag. She had no problem with the actual sharing part, in fact she would have just given Willow hers, but that lingering warm feeling in her stomach made her want to be close to her girlfriend. She had no intention of pushing anything in the physical aspect of their relationship that Willow didn't want, but there was nothing wrong with just wanting to cuddle.

_And she said yes to sharing. She wouldn't have agreed if she wasn't okay it, I know her and she would say if she didn't want to _

There was also that niggling though in the back of Tara's head that she'd had since her conversation with Anya the week before, she knew she was in love with the redhead, but how was she supposed to go about telling her? And did Willow feel the same? How would she handle it if her girlfriend didn't feel the same? She had a good idea, she saw the girl's eyes light up when she was around and felt the emotion through their kisses, but having never said those three little words to anyone outside family, she was still worried about it all.

"Are you okay?" Willow asked when she saw the brunette deep in thought.

"Of course. I'm with you," Tara said, giving Willow a reassuring smile,

"Food's gonna be ready soon, wanna eat?"

"Sure."

They walked out of the tent and towards the middle of the field where everyone else was sitting, around a small personal barbeque that had a few hot dogs and some hamburgers grilling on it. The couple took a seat, resisting the natural urge of their hands to connect together, which was odd for both as the only other place they had to be secretive about their relationship was around Willow's parents, and they rarely ever saw them anyway.

They each got a hot dog and ate their food, talking amongst themselves and with the other students for the evening until Mr. Bellows suggested that everyone try and get some sleep.

"We'll be getting everyone up at 7am-"

This elicited a series of groans from the group and the teacher nodded her head in understanding.

"I don't like it any more than you do. So get some sleep, please, remember you'll be getting graded on the reports you submit for this and if all I remember are grumpy teenagers, my grading scheme might be a bit harsher."

The students mumbled their understanding before each making their way to their respective tents.

Willow rummaged in her bag for her pyjamas and pulled them out. Tara did the same, taking out the boxers and tank top she used for sleep.

"I'm gonna get changed in the bathroom, okay?" Willow said, picking up her things.

"Okay," Tara replied, slightly relieved there wouldn't be any awkward undressing moments. She had already been to the bathroom and brushed her teeth before coming back to the tent so if she'd said she was going it would have been an obvious excuse.

Willow smiled and left the tent again, while Tara got into her bedclothes. She returned a few minutes later in cotton pyjamas that had little puppies all over them. She kicked her shoes into the corner and sat on the ground opposite the brunette, who was brushing her hair. Her gaze was propelled downwards at the low-cut red tank top Tara was wearing. Low cut enough that it left very little to the imagination. Low cut enough that Tara would never actually wear it out in public, therefore making this the most unadulterated view Willow had had of her girlfriend's cleavage.

_Would she freak out if I just buried my head in there? Doofus, of course she would, you can't just go putting your face in people's chests…their perfect, round chests…Maybe just a little…no, okay unsexy thoughts, unsexy thoughts…Sea slugs… Xander trying to shove twelve doughnuts in his mouth at once… _

Tara heard a slight hitch in Willow's breath a couple of seconds after she had arrived back and stopped brushing her hair to see if the girl was okay. She followed her eye line and blushed slightly as she realised what the object or rather objects of her gaze were, but felt extremely glad as well, not only did having her girlfriend clearly liking the way she looked make her feel sexy, but she didn't feel as guilty about her earlier feelings of desire for the redhead.

If they were both having them, then it was normal. It didn't mean they had to jump into bed together straight away, but Tara was happy that that part of the relationship was progressing just like the emotional part was. Thinking of that emotional part, she decided it was about time the love of her life was told that she was in fact the love of her life. No more delaying it for insecurities. Willow deserved to know.

_But maybe I'll tell her when she's not so engrossed in…other things._

Getting her confidence back at knowing she would be telling Willow her feelings, she decided to have a little fun with her girl.

"The feminist in me wants to be offended, but the much larger 'Willow's girlfriend' part is really loving the attention."

Willow's head snapped up at her girlfriend's voice and she visibly paled as she realised she'd been caught.

"Tara, I'm so sorry. God, I must seem like a horny teenage boy, can't even keep my hormones to myself. I just…you're really beautiful, but that's no excuse to just stare at...um...can you forgive me?"

"Honey, um, I…" Tara sighed as she chickened out again, "There's nothing to forgive. If anyone is allowed look, it's you."

"Oh. Well that's good. 'Cause I, um, like…Say, shouldn't we be getting into the bag? Getting kind of cold out here," Willow rambled slightly, grateful Tara wasn't mad but concerned about her nonetheless. She seemed to be preoccupied the last few hours.

"Yeah," Tara agreed, grabbing her sleeping bag and rolling it out, "If it had a zip, I could've just opened it up and covered us, but it's just a roll-up. It's pretty wide though, we'll both fit in okay."

"Hey, it's even got a little pillow thing on top!"

Tara smiled, she couldn't help it, Willow's enthusiasm was infectious. She slipped into the sleeping bag first and turned on her side, leaving Willow as much room as possible to get in. The redhead took heed and slid down into the fabric as well, her entire lower body pressed against Tara's. She could feel the brunette keeping her arms stiff by her side and scooted up a little so their faces were just inches apart from each other.

"Will you hold me?" she asked in a small voice.

Tara visibly relaxed and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl.

"Of course I will," she said, nuzzling her nose against Willow's.

Willow sighed happily and glanced at her watch.

"Hey! 12:03am on January 23rd. Happy Anniversary, baby."

Tara's eyes glazed over as her time with the redhead, the last three months, played in her mind. She felt how Willow was cuddling against her, how she could almost hear her heartbeat they were so close and knew it was the most right thing she had ever felt. With that thought in mind, she decided it was time.

"Willow?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Willow's eyes widened and a huge grin broke out on her face, before bringing a hand up to cup the back of Tara's head, bringing her in for a passionate kiss. She pulled back after a minute and looked into sea-blue eyes, full of emotion.

"Oh, love, you beat me to it," Willow said with a small smile.

"Love?" Tara asked, feeling her heart swell at the new term of endearment.

"Oh most definitely love. I love you, Tara Maclay, with all my heart and soul. I was gonna tell you on our anniversary. Which, it is, so that worked out. But that's why I wanted to have a special dinner and stuff."

"Oh. I'm sorry…I should've waited, let you do your-"

She was cut off by Willow's lips on her own again. She relaxed into the embraced and kissed back, finding that their kisses seemed a lot more… intimate now that they had exchanged 'I love yous'. She pulled back with a tear in her eye.

"I…that was…"

"Powerful," Willow finished for her, having felt the same connection, "I am so glad it's out there. I felt all kinds of wrong knowing it and not saying it. Heh, kinda like before I came out."

"I love the way it sounds. I love you. I love Willow Rosenberg."

Willow was about to speak but was cut off by her own yawn.

"And I'll love you in the morning, so why don't we get some sleep?" Tara said with a grin.

"Mhhh, good idea," Willow replied, going in for a last kiss before snuggling down, her head resting under Tara's chin, "Goodnight, love."

Tara held the redhead too her, thinking things couldn't get much better.

_I'm holding the woman that I love and who loves me back, in my arms. Yep, I think I'm just about the luckiest girl in the world._


	13. Chapter 13

Tara gradually became aware of light shining through the thin blue material of their tent and was confused that she felt significantly warmer than she normally did when she woke up. She moved her arms slightly and realised the cause of that warmness was the small body of her girlfriend pressed against her. She instantly remembered the night before, the proclamations of love and falling to sleep in each other's arms. She smiled as she felt, more than saw that their positions hadn't changed much during the night. Except…

_Oh. My. God. Is that her ass under my hands? I'm groping her in her sleep, I'm like a per…wait a sec…is her face where I think it is? _

She glanced down and saw that her girlfriend's head had moved from where she had fallen asleep under her chin down to rest right in her cleavage. This realisation jolted her to full consciousness and she tightened her hold on in the redhead instinctively before remembering exactly where her hands were and what exactly she'd just squeezed. She went to move her arms away but found she being held in place by both Willow's body and the snug fit of the sleeping bag around them.

Willow was pulled from her dream about large killer onions when she felt a new sensation that sent a tingle through her body. She nuzzled in closer to what she assumed was the pillow her head was resting on and faintly heard a gasp from above her. The last remnants of her dream left and she realised what that sensation that had woken her up actually was.

_Ohh, Tara's hands on me…Tara's hands on my butt! That feels soo good. I wish I didn't have these stupid pyjamas on, her hands on my skin…Whoa, naughty thoughts. I'm not ready for naughty thoughts. Am I? And I don't remember the pillow being this soft…oh sweet Jesus. Oh please tell me I didn't. Please, Tara baby, please still be asleep._

She lifted her head slowly, knowing she was blushing furiously and bit her lip when she saw her girlfriend's blue orbs looking back at her, surprised to see them slightly darker than they usually were.

She realised that Tara still hadn't moved her hands from their resting place and that the girl didn't seem at all upset about where she had inadvertently just been. In fact she seemed almost…

_Turned on? I turned her on? Oh wow. Is that was that feeling is below my stomach? All warm and inviting…kind of…throbby…Okay, definitely turned on by Tara…duh, we knew that, makes me all breathless every time she kisses me… but this is so much more…oh wow, I want to have sex with her…no, I want to make love with her. Does she feel the same? Talk about your weekend of revelations. Don't push anything, Willow, whatever you do. _

Tara saw a flurry of emotions cross Willow's face in a mere matter of seconds and could tell she had a string of thoughts going through her head.

"Give me your hand," she said softly.

Willow was confused by the request but didn't hesitate to comply with her girlfriend's wishes. She brought her hand up from where it had been resting on Tara's lower back and held it in between their faces. Tara, having been able to free her own hands after Willow had woken up, entwined their fingers and brought the redhead's hand down to gently rest over her own breast before moving her hand away altogether.

"This is okay?" Willow asked, amazed at the soft feel, even through the fabric of the brunette's tank top. She looked down at her hand and flexed her fingers before squeezing the flesh slightly.

"It doesn't have to mean anything."

"Tara, it means everything."

Tara put one finger under Willow's chin and gently lifted her head so their gazes met.

"What I mean is, we don't have to be in any rush. But you seem pretty enamoured with my, um, chest."

Willow blushed again and Tara gave her a loving smile.

"You're saying we can…explore?" Willow asked, as she comprehended her girlfriend's meaning.

"Exactly," Tara nodded, "I want to savour every new discovery."

Willow leaned forward to capture Tara's lips, deepening the kiss immediately. As her body moved forward in the embrace, her hand crushed tightly against the brunette's breast, one of her fingers stroking the nipple through the thin fabric.

Tara felt her heart begin to race at this new feeling; being touched by Willow was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. She grabbed onto the back of the smaller girl's head and brought them even closer, thrusting her tongue frantically inside Willow's mouth.

"Rise and shine, eager minds."

They both pulled apart swiftly at the sound of their teacher's voice from outside the tent, staying completely still, until they heard retreating footsteps a few moments later. Willow sighed in relief that they hadn't been caught; Tara was still breathing heavily from their ministrations.

"Probably a good thing," the brunette whispered, getting her breath back.

"Yeah," Willow agreed, "Got a little carried away."

She reluctantly pulled her hand away from Tara's chest, both girls instantly missing the contact.

"I can't believe I almost got caught feeling you up," Willow giggled after a moment.

"Come on, you goof," Tara giggled back, sitting them both up and slipping back out of the sleeping bag.

They both gathered their belongings and made their way to the cabin, showering and changing before dumping their clothes back in the tent and assembling in the middle of the field. Tara grabbed a couple of the paper plates and spoons and two boxes of Frosted Flakes from the assortment of cereals laid out for them. She went and sat beside Willow, handing over half the items.

"They're grrreat," Willow whispered into the brunette's ear and Tara snickered, loving the adorability of her girlfriend.

After breakfast, each group of lab partners were handed a small packet, which included a map of the area and were told to meet back at the tent-site at 6pm.

"The packet includes a list of fifty plants and animals that are known to inhabit this area. You're required to identify and make observations on twenty-five of these. The safety region is marked by yellow tape, do not pass those lines. Should you complete the classification of the twenty-five species, an extra ten identifications will earn you an extra credit. There are pre-prepared packed lunches here, please take one before you leave. Ms. Pullman and I will be walking around, if you see us and need some help, please don't hesitate to ask. You'll be going around in twos, do not split up from one another. For safety reasons, there's a whistle in your packet, if you get into any danger, use it. Good luck and have fun."

Mr. Bellow's finished his long-winded speech and Willow pulled out the whistle and paper from the packet. She put the whistle around her neck and gave it a practice blow, causing some of the other students around her to jump and the teachers to come running towards her.

"Uh, sorry. I was testing it," she said, blushing.

The students rolled their eyes and the teachers retreated, shaking their heads.

Tara put her hand on the redhead's shoulder and squeezed slightly to get her attention. When Willow looked at her she cocked her head to the side, indicating that they should start moving. The smaller girl nodded slightly and started towards the stream behind the field, Tara walking beside her.

When they were safely hidden by a line of trees, Willow grabbed Tara's hand and rested her head against the brunette's shoulder.

"Beautiful place, beautiful girl…learning…all my loves together," she sighed contentedly.

"You know what would make it better?" Tara asked.

"What?"

Tara turned leaned down to kiss the younger girl tenderly for a moment before speaking in a low, loving tone.

"Nothing."

"You really know how to make a girl blush, you know that?"

"Just one girl. Only one girl I ever want to make blush," Tara cleared her throat as she realised her double-entendre and turned back to face towards the water, "We should get to work."

"Okay."

Willow scanned the list and noticed a couple of the plants very obviously sticking out in the grass and got Tara's attention to start noting them down.

Once they started, they found they were able to write on many of the plants listed and quite a few birds in the area as well. Tara noticed a grey squirrel running around in a tree and the couple watched it for a few minutes before writing down the information they needed.

Willow was at the edge of the stream, looking at the aquatic plant life when she saw a glint in the corner of her eye. She ignored it and continued surveying the area, until the glint appeared to jump in the air.

Looking to her side, her eyes widened in horror and she yelped as she quickly stood up, running away in terror. In her frantic attempts to get away, she crashed straight into Tara, who had started towards her when she heard the yelp, crashing them both to the ground.


	14. Chapter 14

"Honey, what's wrong?" Tara asked concerned when she saw the frightened look on her girl.

To her surprise, the smaller girl burst into tears and buried her head in Tara's neck. The brunette held Willow to her, turning them so they were both on their sides and whispered in her ear.

"Shush, sweetie. It's okay, I got you…"

Willow's tears stopped a minute later, and Tara just continued holding her and giving words of comfort, until she felt the redhead relax slightly in the embrace.

"Open those beautiful green eyes for me, Will."

Willow just sniffled and kept her head in Tara's neck.

"Please, love," Tara said, getting worried.

Willow heard the worried tone and brought her head up, letting their lips meet first. After a second, she opened her eyes and wasn't surprised to see Tara's eyes open as well as they continued to kiss. They stayed staring at each other, communicating through their mouths and eyes until Willow pulled back after a couple of minutes.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked, stroking her cheek.

"Yeah," Willow said, then cleared her throat to stop her voice from breaking, "I, um, it's stupid."

"You never have to tell me something you don't want to…but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't worried."

Willow looked into the baby blue eyes and when she saw nothing but love and concern reflected back, she knew she could tell Tara anything.

"There was a frog. I'm afraid of frogs," she said, clearing her throat clearly having no effect as her voice began to break again, "I know, huge baby."

"I'm afraid of trucks," Tara whispered quietly.

"What?"

"Trucks. Whenever our car passes one on the freeway I freak out and think it's gonna crash down on top of us."

"So…you're telling me…that you're a lesbian afraid of U-Hauls?"

Tara giggled and pulled Willow in for a chaste kiss.

"I guess I am. Are you okay now?"

"Yeah. I just saw the green and the croaking and my fight or flight response kicked it. Which around frogs is definitely flight. I'm sorry for jumping on you."

"Would you think it was super cheesy if I said I'll always catch you when you fall?"

"Yep. But I'd love you even more for it." "Rosenberg…Maclay! Why are you on the ground?

The girls scrambled to get up as they heard Mr. Bellows voice and saw him walking towards them. He stopped in front of them, giving them a curious look.

"Getting a closer look at the plants down there," Tara said, saying the first thing that sprang into her mind.

"That's grass, ladies."

"Which is what we discovered," Willow piped up, brushing some errant stands of said grass off her shirt.

"Very well," Mr. Bellows said, knowing he wasn't getting the whole truth, but decided to let it go. Willow and Tara were his two best students, and had gotten even better since they became lab partners, so he trusted them to get the work done, "How're you getting on?"

"Uh…twenty-seven identifications," Willow replied, scanning the list in her hand.

"Good. You two should get the extra credit with no problems. Can I help with anything?"

"I think we're managing, sir," Tara replied cordially.

"Okay then. Keep up the good work," the teacher replied before moving off again.

"We have got to stop almost getting caught," Willow giggled when he was out of their eye-line.

"I dunno. Makes it kind of…exciting," Tara smirked, before reaching around to cup Willow's ass with both hands and pulling the girl to her.

"Ooh, frisky," Willow said happily before leaning up for a quick kiss, "Wanna break for lunch?"

"Definitely."

Willow walked them over to a particularly grassy area of land that was shaded by dreams and sat down, pulling Tara down beside her.

Tara reached into her pocket, pulling out a small candle and a lighter. She cupped the candle with one hand to try and light it without the wind causing problems and smiled when the little flame sprang into life. She placed it between their two bodies and took one of Willow's hands.

"Happy sneaky anniversary lunch," she said, giving the hand in hers a squeeze.

"Happy sneaky anniversary lunch to you too," Willow replied, grinning from ear to ear, "Candles, food I didn't make, surrounded by flowers…you know, this is exactly how I imagined it."

"See? Things have a habit of working themselves out."

Willow stuck her tongue out playfully before opening the brown paper bag that their lunches were in. She pulled out a bottled water, cookie and what she assumed was supposed to be a turkey sandwich, but was completely crushed and had little pieces of mayonnaise coming out against the sides of the bread. She glanced over at saw Tara looking at her contents, identical to Willows, replacing the cookie with an apple, with a similar look of disinterest.

"Wanna share the apple and cookie?" she asked, dropping her mangled sandwich back in the bag.

"You bet I do," Tara replied, copying the redhead's motions of getting the bread out of sight.

Willow broke the cookie in half, handing one half over to her girlfriend. They ate in silence for a minute before Tara picked up the apple.

"We're gonna have to be more creative sharing this," the brunette said, twirling it in her hands.

"Oh that's easy. You take a bite, then I take a bite. Then when it's just the core, we can throw it into the trees, thus helping with the 'decay and replenish', helping the environment thing. Or an animal can find it and use it for nutrients."

Tara chucked and took a small bite of the fruit, before handing it over to Willow, who copied her motions. They handed it back and forth, giggling sporadically in between until just the core was left and Willow threw it over her shoulder.

Tara picked up the candle and lay down on her back, indicating for Willow to do the same. The redhead complied, lying beside her girlfriend and the taller girl placed the still-lighting candle above their heads.

Willow moved in closer, resting her head on Tara's shoulder as they both looked up at the sky.

"Look," Willow said, pointing up at a cloud, "It looks like a puppy. See the little ears sticking out?"

"Hey, you're right…and that one there…kind of like… a chicken leg."

"A chicken leg? No way. It's clearly Santa with his hat going crazy on a windy day."

"Santa? Honey, you're Jewish."

"Yeah…but that doesn't stop the cloud looking like the guy…or that one over there looking like Buddha."

Tara glanced at the cloud her girlfriend was now pointing at and had to admit it did look like Buddha.

"Okay, okay, I relent, oh master of cloud-spotting. What's that one?"

"Duck with a top hat."

"Duck with a…god, I love you," Tara said, dropping a kiss on top of the smaller girl's head.

"I love you too," Willow smiled, resting one of her hands on the brunette's stomach.

They stayed like that for a while, looking at shapes in the clouds, sometimes just enjoying the silence of being with each other, sharing the occasional kiss until a sudden gush of wind blew out the candle above them.

"I think that's the universe's way of saying we slacked off enough," Tara chuckled.

"Yeah," Willow replied lazily, not making any effort to move from her spot,

"We should get back to work. But we're not hanging out near the water anymore. I can't handle another frog."

Tara agreed and they reluctantly stood up from their cosy embrace, going back to studying their surroundings.

Later that evening when forty species had been documented, the twenty-five standard ones and ten extra credit ones, as well as five that Willow had insisted on trying to find 'just for fun', everyone had gathered back to eat the barbequed food that was being prepared for them again and chatting before getting ready for bed.

There was going to be a talk on the wildlife of the park in the morning before they were departing back for Sunnydale, arriving home that Sunday afternoon. The walking around and early morning meant almost everyone was exhausted and headed to bed promptly.

Tara was already lying in the sleeping bag, idly tracing circles on the spot where her girlfriend would be lying when Willow re-entered the tent, having been in the bathroom for longer than the brunette.

Willow was delighted to see Tara was wearing the same sleeping attire and that she had the same delicious view of her girlfriend's breasts.

_Oh I am never going to get tired of looking at those…or touching them… We're taking it slow, remember…but I already touched them, so I can touch them again, right? Well, I touched one…beautiful right breast…But Tara was totally in control…maybe I should let her know it's okay to touch too…she touched my butt…is that different? That still falls under the naughty touching category, right? _

"You getting in, sweetheart?" Tara asked when she saw the smaller girl just kneeling on the ground.

"Oh right," Willow smiled sheepishly, having been snapped out of her reverie by the brunette's voice.

She slid down into the sleeping bag, facing the taller girl and realised just how chilly she had been before, the warm fabric and Tara's body heat contrasting almost harshly with her cold hands and feet, the rest of her body covered by the same puppy pyjamas from the night before.

"Hey, looks like I actually get to warm you up," Tara smirked when she felt Willow's cold feet touch her own.

She trapped the redhead's feet between her shins and moved them slightly, creating some friction for warmth.

Willow smiled in appreciation at the affectionate gesture and entwined their hands beneath the sleeping bag.

"Good Anniversary?" Tara asked quietly.

"Best Anniversary," Willow confirmed, stroking the brunette's knuckles with her thumb, "Um, Tara?"

"Yeah?"

"I, uh… well, it's just I wasn't sure if you thought or, or…"

"What is it love?"

Willow brought their combined hands up and let Tara's hand rest over her right breast, through her pyjamas before taking her own hand away, copying what the brunette had done earlier that morning for her.

"I just wanted to let you know it was okay for you to touch, too. I wasn't sure if you knew. I know I'm not as, um, endowed, but-"

"You're perfect," Tara interrupted, in awe of having this intimate contact with her girlfriend. It was so different and so much better than the times she had touched herself, different from when Willow had touched her earlier, but just as pleasurable. A different kind of pleasure, but pleasure nonetheless, "You're absolutely perfect."

She squeezed the flesh and heard a soft sigh from the other girl.

"That feels really good, baby," Willow said shyly.

"I like this new discovery," Tara replied, equally as shy.

They locked eyes for a second and Willow bit her lip.

"Um…can I…?"

Tara nodded her understanding and agreement and Willow brought one of her hands across to cup Tara's breast. Both girls were instantly flooded by the intense feeling of touching and being touched and Tara let out a soft moan.

They met for a chaste kiss before both pulled their hands away, knowing if they kept up the contact it could lead to more, and a small tent in the middle of the woods with twenty classmates and two teachers just feet away was not how either girl wanted to have their first time.

Both rested their heads on the small pillow, their legs now wrapped around each other, faces just inches apart.

"'Night Tare. I love you."

"I love you too, Will. I love you too."


	15. Chapter 15

Tara rang the doorbell of the Rosenbergs and waited patiently on the porch. Normally when she collected her girlfriend for school, she just waited in the car and Willow kept a look out from her bedroom window for her, but she couldn't just do that today. In the three weeks since their Biology field trip, they'd gotten even closer, the important three little words that had been spoken during the time as well as progression about things physically had really cemented their relationship.

The door opened to reveal a surprised Willow, bookbag on her shoulder. Tara looked at her sunken eyes and could see she had been crying.

"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, then kicked herself for the term of endearment. She knew better than to give the Rosenbergs any reason to be suspicious.

Willow saw the apologetic look cross the brunette's features.

"Don't worry. You can call me honey. You can call me sweetie; hell you could start feeling me up right now if you wanted 'cause my parents left an hour ago for another one of their stupid conferences," she said, spitting out the last bit venomously.

"Oh, love," Tara said, going forward to embrace the redhead, angry with her girlfriend's parents for leaving on this day.

"I just thought they'd be here for my birthday, ya know? I mean it's only once a year," Willow sobbed into the taller girl's shoulder.

Tara didn't know what to say so she just stayed quiet, holding the smaller girl to her.

Willow pulled away a few minutes later when she felt something hit against her head and looked to the side in wonder.

"Sorry," Tara said, pulling on the string of the balloon that Willow hadn't noticed before, having been too distressed, "Um, Happy Birthday."

She handed the red balloon with '17' in big white writing on it to the other girl who looked at it again before bursting into a fresh set of tears.

"You are the best girlfriend in the world," she said through her tears.

"If I am its only 'cause you make me like that," Tara replied.

Willow wiped the tears from her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I am not letting them ruin my birthday. I have you and the gang and nothing could be better than that."

"Did you at least get a nice present?"

"Money in a card. Same as every year."

Tara rubbed her arm comfortingly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Well from this moment forward I promise the best birthday ever, okay?"

"Okay," Willow agreed with a small smile, "Lets get to school."

Willow undid her seatbelt, then sat back in her seat, not ready to leave Alexis quite yet.

She'd had a wonderful day at school, the gang all making her feel special all day, she'd gotten a new CD from Xander and blouse from Buffy, even Anya had gotten her a cupcake with '17' in icing on it and had produced a little candle so they could all sing Happy Birthday to her in the quad.

Now she was going home to get ready before everyone was meeting at the Bronze later. She was grateful that her birthday happened to fall on a Friday so she could celebrate on the day without having to worry about school the next day.

"So I'll see you at seven, yeah?" she asked her girlfriend.

"Yep. Um, Will, I… your present is in the glove compartment."

"Oh baby you didn't have to get me anything," Willow said, opening the glove compartment and pulling out the small box, wrapped with a simple white ribbon, "But I'm glad you did."

Tara chuckled and watched as Willow undid the ribbon and took the lid off of the box.

Willow gasped as she saw the glinting necklace staring back at her and picked it up out of its box. She looked at the two hearts dangling from it, one with a 'W' engraved, the other with a 'T'.

"Tara…this is…this is too much."

"You deserve it."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. Will you put it on?"

"Sure."

Willow handed her the necklace and Tara fastened it around her neck. The redhead looked down, tracing the hearts with her finger.

"Um, could I ask you something? You can say no," she said, averting her gaze over to Tara.

"You can ask me anything, beautiful," Tara replied.

"Would you stay with me tonight?"

"Of course I will. Can't have my girl being lonely on her birthday."

Willow smiled, realising Tara didn't quite understand her meaning behind the offer, but decided it didn't matter right now anyway.

"Thanks. So, um, seven?"

"Seven," Tara confirmed and leaned over for a quick kiss before Willow got out of the car and went towards her house.

Tara drove the five-minute drive to her own house, grabbing her bookbag and going into the bungalow.

"I'm home, Mom," she called into the hallway and saw her mother's head pop out from behind the kitchen door.

* * *

"Hey sugar. Good day at school?"

Tara walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table, dumping her bag beside her.

"Yeah, it was fun. We all sang Happy Birthday to Will and stuff. Oh, she asked me to stay at hers tonight, her parents are away and she doesn't want to be alone on her birthday, that okay?"

Jen's eyes widened slightly, but she cleared her throat so she could speak lucidly.

"Of course it is, Tara," she started and sat down next to her daughter, "I know you and Willow are very much in love, I can see that whenever you're around each other. So if you both think you're ready to take the next step in your relationship, then I trust you to know yourself well enough, okay?"

Tara took in what her mother was saying and for the first time realised what Willow might have actually meant by her request. She felt a sudden rush of excitement at the prospect, put quickly put those feelings aside, knowing that her mother was sitting right beside her and also that she couldn't be 100% sure that that is what Willow meant. She decided it didn't matter, just sleeping with the redhead beside her was better than anything she had ever felt before and if that's all they did, she was fine with it. She turned to her mother and smiled.

"Thanks, Mom. I don't really know what's going to happen, but if you've taught me anything, it's respect for myself and others…so, um, _that _won't be any different."

"You're a good girl, Tara. But please, don't do anything in a bathroom or the backseat of your car. You have your own private bedroom here-"

"Okay, Mom, not even we are close enough to be discussing this," Tara replied, blushing.

Jen knew that she was pushing it slightly with the last bit, but she just didn't want her daughter getting caught somewhere in public. It had been bad enough when it had happened to her, and if Tara hadn't resulted from that particular night, she knew she would have mentally blocked it out just from the embarrassment of it all.

"Okay. Just know this is your house as much as mine and that's all I'm going to say. You guys are going out tonight, right?"

"I'm collecting Willow at seven. So, I'm gonna go get changed, okay?"

Jen just nodded and Tara bolted from the room, thoroughly embarrassed by their conversation, but pleased in a small way that if anything were to happen, she knew her mother would be okay with it. She thought, not for the first time, that she was lucky to have such an incredibly supportive and nice parent.

She quickly showered and changed into her outfit for the night, black jeans and blue blouse, then went downstairs and ate dinner with her Mom, before she realised it was time to collect Willow. She went to leave, her mother giving her a slightly longer hug than she normally would and got into her car, driving towards the Rosenbergs for the third time that day.

She pulled up outside the large house and got out, ringing the doorbell. It opened to reveal Willow standing there in a shimmering green dress that went to her knees.

"You look absolutely stunning," Tara said breathlessly as she took in her girlfriend's attire.

"You don't look half bad yourself," Willow gulped as she saw the tight-fitting jeans.

"I, um, brought a bag? You know, night stuff," Tara said, holding up said bag to indicate.

"Oh yeah. I'll put it up in my room, then we can go, yeah?"

"Sounds good."

Tara watched Willow go up the stairs and return a minute later, small clutch purse in hand. She held out her free hand, which Tara took, smiling, at the two headed out the door; Willow pausing momentarily to lock it.

They arrived at The Bronze twenty minutes later. It had actually only taken ten minutes to drive to the club, but the lure of Alexis' backseat had proved too appealing and they had fit in a quick smoochie-session before entering the nightclub.

They spotted Buffy and Xander at a table and walked over. Willow sat down on the little couch and Tara snuggled in beside her. The redhead looked around at the significant crowd and was glad her friends had managed to nab a table. She looked to the bar and noticed Cordelia, who seemed to sense someone was looking at her and turned, sneering across the room when she saw whom it was. Willow just grinned back.

Since Tara had called her out all those months ago, the cheerleader and her diligent group of followers had left them all alone, apart from the occasional scowl or turning their noses up when they walked by, but the onslaught of verbal assaults that Cordelia had plagued her, Xander and from high-school onwards Buffy, with had completely erased. She felt oddly proud that she was the girlfriend of the girl responsible for having a Cordelia-free existence.

She was pulled from her thoughts as Anya came to the table with a tray of drinks.

"Xander, you owe me forty bucks."

"Forty bucks? It's just a round of cokes!"

"Yeah but I bet the bartender that I could catch an olive in my cleavage, and if I did, the drinks were free, otherwise I'd pay double. It's the first time my breasts have ever let me down," Anya sighed, sitting on the arm beside Tara and taking one of the cokes.

Xander reluctantly pulled out his wallet and handed his girlfriend over two $20 bills. Anya happily tucked it into her bra.

"Hey Will, nice bling," the boy said as he noticed Willow's new necklace.

"Thanks," Willow gushed, holding it out for everyone to see, "Tara got it for me."

"Is that the one you were telling me about?" Anya asked.

Tara nodded at her and Anya leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"You'll reap the benefits of buying her that later." Tara just blushed and took a large gulp of her coke, while Buffy checked out the necklace.

They all chatted for the night, the two couples getting up at sporadic times to dance, Buffy finding a group of hot guys to just dance among rather than actually with until Anya decided she wanted to get up and sing, dedicating her rendition of 'I Touch Myself' to Xander. She finished to a large round of applause and Xander went up to collect her, declaring it was time for them to leave, his blush caused from embarrassment or something else, the other girls didn't and didn't want to know.

Soon after, Willow looked around and saw Buffy was off dancing again and turned to Tara.

"Hey, you wanna head back to mine?"

"Sure. We should tell Buffy we're leaving though."

"Yeah. You go start Alexis and I'll let her know."

They parted with a kiss as Tara headed towards the outside of the club and Willow towards her friend. A few minutes later they were both in the car, driving back towards the Rosenbergs.

"Did you have a good birthday?" Tara asked.

"I had a great birthday. One of the best nights of my life."

_And I hope it gets even greater. _

Tara parked in the driveway of her girlfriend's house and got out of the car, rushing around to open the door for Willow.

"Thank you, m'lady," Willow giggled as they went to the front door. She fumbled in her pocket for a minute, nervous.

_How do I let her know? And…what if I mess it all up? No, can't think about that now. Focus on making your beautiful girlfriend know that you want to show her just how much you love her. _

She got her key out and unlocked the front door, holding it open for Tara to walk through.

"You hungry, baby? Thirsty?"

"No, I'm good thanks, love."

_Love. That's exactly right. We're in love and making love is a part of that. Come on, Willow, you can do this. Tell her. _

"Wanna, um, hang out in my room?"

"Sure."

Willow led them up the stairs and into her bedroom, going over to her dresser and kicking off her shoes. She turned and saw Tara sitting on her bed, looking around her room with a smile on her face.

"I love your bedroom. It's so…Willow. I remember thinking that our first date. It's very Willow-y."

"And that's a good thing?"

"That's the best thing."

_Now or never. _

She walked over and sat next to her girlfriend on the bed, cupping her cheek before bringing their lips together tenderly; putting all the love she had into the kiss. She pulled back, only an inch and rested her forehead against the brunette's.

"Make love to me, Tara."


	16. Chapter 16

"Are you sure?"

Willow heard no trace of doubt or uncertainty in her girlfriend's voice, only unconditional love and devotion. She brought one of the brunette's hands up to her mouth and kissed the open palm.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I wanna make love with you."

Tara leaned down and covered Willow's lips with her own. The redhead responded instantly, running her tongue along the taller girl's bottom lip. Tara opened her mouth to let her in, but as soon as she felt her girlfriend's tongue, she wrapped her lips around it and sucked. Willow moaned into the kiss and started rubbing up and down the brunette's arms.

Tara let both of her hands come around to rest on either of the younger girl's hips. They continued kissing for what felt like hours, slowly building an intense passion as their tongues duelled. Suddenly Willow had an overwhelming urge to feel more of her girlfriend and brought a hand up to the top button of the brunette's shirt. She popped the button and felt Tara smile into the kiss, encouraging her to continue.

She slowly moved down, pushing the buttons through until there was none left. She gripped either side of the fabric, before pulling it down the older girl's shoulders. Both girls were pulled from their kiss as an errant button, that Willow had thought she'd popped but apparently hadn't. The redhead didn't even get a chance to appreciate that Tara was now sitting there in her bra as she brought her head down into her hands.

"I'm so sorry, so, so sorry."

"Hey, it wasn't my favourite shirt or anything. Besides, it's just a button, I can sew it back on."

"But-"

"Willow, you do know I'm not wearing a shirt, right?"

Willow's head shot up as she registered the words that were spoken and her mouth went dry as she saw her girlfriend's bra-encased breasts, looking delectable in the deep red fabric.

"Wow…look at those," she said with a giddy smile on her face, oblivious to the fact that Tara had to hold back a giggle at her reaction.

Tara let her stare for a few moments until she decided she wanted to see some skin as well. She shuffled forward on the bed a little and reached a hand around to the zipper of the smaller girl's dress.

Willow was snapped out of reverie when she felt hands on her back, not moving, just waiting for the go-ahead. She nodded shyly and felt the zipper being pulled down. When it reached the end, she stood up, shrugging the dress down her shoulders and off her body, where it pooled around her feet.

Tara sat, spellbound, at the sight of her soon-to-be lover in just her matching black bra and panties. She got up and stood in front of the redhead, slipping her shoes off and holding her girlfriend with one hand on her hip before using her other to guide Willow's fingers to her jeans. 

The redhead leaned up to meet Tara's lips again as her fingers went about undoing the button of her girlfriend's pants. It took a couple of attempts as her fingers had started to shake slightly, but soon she was working the zipper down and Tara was shaking herself out of the fabric, leaving them both just in their underwear. 

Tara let her hands fall under and behind to cup Willow's ass through her panties as they continued kissing, just as passionate as before. The redhead reached behind with one hand to try and undo Tara's bra, the other one caressing the skin around the brunette's hip. She found the hook and attempted to release it, finding after a few moments of fumbling that she would need both her hands.

Never stopping the kiss, she brought the other hand around to aid her attempts, but her shaking fingers were making it difficult to undo the little hooks.

Tara pulled back from the kiss when she felt the shaking hands on her back.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a loving tone.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm just a little nervous. But I definitely want to do this."

"I'd be thinking you did this all the time if you weren't nervous. I'm nervous too," Tara replied gently.

"We can be nervous together?"

"We can be everything together."

Willow smiled, grateful she wasn't the only one who was anxious. They both met in a kiss again and the redhead found her hands had stopped shaking a little and she was able to release the hook on Tara's bra. She held it in place for a minute, pulling back from the kiss.

"Can we sit? Or, um, lie down?"

Tara nodded and began to walk backwards, the hold Willow had on her bra getting lost in the process, and her bra slipped off her shoulders and to the floor. Even with her own confidence and trust she had in her girlfriend, she still automatically brought her arms up to cover her exposed chest.

"No, please," Willow said, in awe of the brief glimpse she had gotten, "You're breathtaking."

She walked towards the brunette and then continued walking them both backwards until the back of Tara's knees hit against the bed and she sat down, letting her arms fall to her side in the process. Willow, wanting to ease any uncomfortable feelings her girl might have, unhooked her own bra and dropped it to the ground.

Tara's jaw literally dropped and her eye's widened as she took in the pert breasts and rosy pink nipples of her girlfriend, already standing at attention from the slight chill in the room.

"I thought I was the breast girl here," Willow said with a smile, surprised at the brunette's reaction.

"You can be a Tara-breast girl," Tara replied absently, still staring, "I can be a Willow-breast girl and we can have a very boob-inclusive relationship."

Willow sat down in Tara's lap in response, her legs wrapping around the taller girl's back, the brunette's hands coming out to cup her ass, supporting the position.

Willow moaned and Tara let out a soft gasp as their breasts came into contact with each other. The older girl fell backwards onto the bed, cupping the back of Willow's head and bringing her for a steamy kiss as the redhead started moving up and down, both moaning into the kiss as their nipples touched.

Willow left Tara's lips to start trailing kisses down her neck, stopping to suck and nip at her pulsepoint. Tara ran her hands up and down the smaller girl's back as the Willow moved to her girlfriend's collarbone and down the valley between her breasts.

She raised her head and took in the sight of the brunette's flushed chest, her breasts heaving slightly and her nipples already hard, just begging to be touched. She decided she couldn't wait any longer and wrapped her lips around the taut peak, sucking on it.

"Oh…Oh…Willow, that feels so good!"

Willow was delighted that she was doing something right, that Tara seemed to be enjoying herself. As soon as she'd told the brunette she'd wanted to make love, the other worries, that she wouldn't be good enough, that she wouldn't know what to do came rushing back. But right now, the exquisite feeling of Tara's nipple in her mouth and the verbal confirmations of pleasure from above were all she could think about.

Tara thought her body was going to spontaneously combust at the bliss she felt go through her when Willow started sucking on her nipple. She had never felt anything like it before and couldn't wait to give the same treatment to her girlfriend. But as good as the breast currently being adored by Willow's mouth felt, her other breast was missing some attention, any attention.

"Will…honey…hand…other," she panted out, moaning loudly as the redhead bit down lightly on the nipple in her mouth.

The smaller girl lifted her head as she heard Tara speak, the brunette groaning at the sudden loss of contact.

"S-sorry, baby," Willow said, mad at herself for not knowing what the taller girl wanted, "I, um, I d-don't know…"

"Hey, I'm the former stutterer here," Tara said, with a loving smile, "I just needed some, uh, contact with the other side?"

"Oh. Oh," she said and reached out to cup both breasts in her hands, "Like this?"

"Oh god, just like that," Tara moaned, arching her back into the touch.

"This is good?" the redhead asked, to confirm.

"Oh, Willow, everything you do is good."

Willow grinned in delight and started pinching the nipples between her thumb and forefinger and watched it wonder as they grew even harder. Suddenly, Tara pulled her down to a lying position on the bed beside her and crawled on top of her, leaning down for a quick kiss before she copied the redhead's path down her neck, to her collarbone and eventually arriving at two small breasts.

She nuzzled her cheek against one, then the other, placing small kisses all around the flesh. Willow was panting heavily at her ministrations and gasped when Tara ran her tongue over one of the stiff nipples.

Tara grinned at the reaction and wrapped her lips around the nipple, sucking and biting lightly as one of her hands came up to massage the other breast. After a few minutes, she switched sides, giving the other nipple some oral attention. Willow brought a hand up to hold onto the brunette's head, keeping her in place.

Tara, meanwhile, was trailing one hand down the soft skin of the redhead's stomach. She felt the edge of her girlfriend's panties and bunched up the fabric, before starting to pull them down the smaller girl's legs, never stopping the licking and kissing on her chest above.

Willow lifted her hips to aid the divesting of her last piece of clothing and kicked them off when she felt them go past her knees.

Tara leaned back and kneeled between the younger girl's legs, marvelling at her first look of the girl naked. She remembered how self-conscious she had felt earlier when she had been topless for the first time and how Willow had been quick to even the playing field. With that thought in mind, she slipped off the end of the bed and dragged her own panties down her legs.

"You're so beautiful," Tara said as she resumed her kneeling position.

"I…you…gorgeous," Willow managed as she looked on in admiration of her girlfriend's nude form.

Tara ran her hands up and down Willow's outer thighs, slowly moving inwards. She ran her fingers through the soft red hair of her girlfriend's mound and the smaller girl opened her legs a little more to give her some room.

The brunette gulped as even more of the younger girl's centre came into view, and saw she was already incredibly wet. She let one finger dip into the wetness and felt an overwhelming sense of joy that she got to share such an intimate act with the girl she loved so much.

She let her finger explore for a few moments until she came across a bump and heard Willow let out a loud moan. She smiled, realising she'd found her girlfriend's clit and played around with some different strokes, finding the redhead responded most enthusiastically to a slow but firm pressure.

"Tara…oh god, Tara that feels so good."

Willow closed her eyes and felt a tension start to build around her as Tara continued her caresses.

"Oh don't stop, don't stop…no, wait, no, stop."

Tara eased off but didn't stop completely, confused by Willow's request.

"Um, which do you want me to do?"

Willow took a deep breath and used her own hand to guide the brunette's away from her clit, letting it just rest above her mound.

"Did I do something wrong?" Tara asked in a small voice.

"No, no, no, love. I was just about to, um…you know? And I didn't want to…without you," Willow admitted trying to give the other girl a reassuring smile.

"Oh," Tara said, then shot the redhead a beaming smile as understanding dawned, "You really almost…?"

Willow nodded shyly, a slight blush rising in her cheeks. She held her arms out and Tara eagerly lay down beside her, closing the embrace. They started kissing again, running their hands up and down each other's sides until Willow decided it was time she got to feel Tara and slipped a hand in between their bodies and let two fingers glide through the wetness.

Tara moaned into the kiss and used her hands to cup Willow's ass, bringing their bodies closer together. The brunette gasped suddenly, breaking their kiss when she felt the redhead flick over her clit.

"Um… is that your, uh…" Willow trailed off, embarrassed.

"Oh yes," Tara nodded, moaning as the smaller girl flicked it again.

Willow continued her motions, flicking in fast strokes since that seemed to be what Tara liked until she felt her girlfriend's hand come back to explore her own core. She felt one of the brunette's fingers come to her entrance and circle there for a minute. She looked up into sea-blue eyes and nodded, almost imperceptibly.

Tara saw the nod and pushed up into the first knuckle, staying in for a minute before pulling out and going back in, this time a little farther. Willow, meanwhile, had brought one hand up to grip Tara's shoulder, never letting their eye contact be lost as she felt herself slowly be taken.

On the next stroke upwards, the brunette felt herself meet some resistance and rested her forehead against the smaller girl's. She pulled out again and entered in a fast stroke, breaking through her girlfriend's hymen in one swift motion.

Willow whimpered at the sudden jolt of pain but it was quickly replaced by the most amazing feeling of completeness and pleasure. She brought her own hand down from where it had been simply resting on Tara's mound and circled her entrance too, wanting to be inside the brunette as much as she wanted Tara inside her.

She brought her other hand, the one that had been gripping the older girl's shoulder, to Tara's cheek, cupping it as she leaned in for a kiss. As they kissed, the redhead manoeuvred herself so she was lying on top of the brunette making sure to keep the finger, which was immobile inside her, in place.

Willow started moving her hips as she continued to circle the older girl's entrance and Tara took the hint, moving her finger in and out. After a few moments, she felt the redhead enter her completely and felt a tear come to her eye at the connection.

Willow saw the tear and stilled her movements, but was met by quick protests from the brunette.

"No, don't stop, please."

"You sure?"

"God yes. I've never felt anything like this."

"I know, baby. I know."

They moved in and out of each other, both knowing their anatomy, they curved their fingers slightly and reached upwards, reaching the other's sweet spot almost at the same time.

"Baby? Could you um…another?"

Tara slipped another finger inside the redhead and groaned at the delicious tightness she felt.

"Willow…"

Willow brought her thumb up to start flicking Tara's clit again and the brunette threw her head back in pleasure.

"Ugh…ohh…yes, oh yes," she moaned, bringing her own thumb up to give some friction to her girl's clit.

Willow felt her toes start to curl at the added pressure and pumped faster in and out of the brunette.

"Tara…Tara, I think I'm…I think I'm gonna…" she started.

"Me too," Tara panted.

She looked up and they locked eyes again.

"Together?" Willow asked, breathing heavily.

Tara nodded.

"Lips," she said hoping Willow would understand.

The redhead, of course, did and had just one word in response.

"Eyes."

Tara smiled and leaned up to kiss the smaller girl, keeping her eyes open, staring into green depths that were staring right back, and the contact was enough to send them both over the edge.

Their lips moved and eyes stayed locked as they both came, words and moans swallowed before they even had a chance to meet air.

Both felt pleasure radiate through their entire bodies, shooting from nerve to nerve as the mutual orgasm flowed through them.

They gradually slowed their movements until they were just resting inside each other and pulled away from their kiss with an audible pop, both taking huge lungfuls of air.

Willow rolled off to the side, unintentionally pulling both of their fingers from each other. She closed her eyes, mourning the loss for a second, before settling back down, stroking Tara's cheek with the thumb.

"I love you," the brunette said quietly.

"I love you too… That was incredible. I never knew anything could ever feel like that."

"Mmhh, I know," Tara said and cuddled into her lover, "Happy Birthday." Willow chuckled and wrapped her arms around the naked girl. Tara looked down and saw a spot of red on her girlfriend's thigh.

"Oh love, you're bleeding," she said, sitting up.

"Oh. Uh, I think that's normal, right? But it doesn't hurt. I mean, it hurt for a like a second, but then I just felt you and you felt amazing. It still feels amazing, kind of tingly. So it's all okay," Willow reassured.

"I'll be right back," Tara replied, leaving the room for a minute before returning with a warm washcloth that Willow assumed she'd gotten from the bathroom.

The brunette knelt in front of her girlfriend and gently wiped the blood from her thighs and centre. Willow felt like she might cry at the tender touch and from having another intimate act on top of the lovemaking they had just shared. Tara gave a final soft dab and left the room again, returning moments later with the cloth, washed clean of any blood and she put it in the redhead's laundry hamper.

"Thank you," Willow said as Tara rejoined her on the bed, "That, um, I just…I love you."

"I know. Just like I love you. Are you sleepy?"

Willow propped herself up on one elbow and entwined their fingers.

"I've got a better idea."

"Oh yeah?"

"Wanna go again?"


	17. Chapter 17

"Really? Already?" Tara asked, surprised but excited at the prospect.

"We don't have to. I'm more than happy just cuddling," Willow reassured.

"Oh, I most definitely want to. I just…you'd tell me if you were sore, right?"

"I promise I'm not. Hey, you didn't bleed…I…erm, I'm sorry, I just assumed."

Tara crinkled her brow in confusion as Willow ducked her head, embarrassed. The brunette thought about it for a second and realisation crossed her features.

"No, Willow, that was my first time too. I used to horse-ride in Jersey, that can, um, get rid of the, uh, that part sometimes, I guess that's what happened. But there's never been anyone but you. And I'm so glad it was you, 'cause it was perfect and beautiful, okay?"

"Really?"

"Really. Hey, I distinctly remember a conversation where I told you that you were my first relationship…"

"Yeah, I know. But I didn't know if that meant…um, this train of words could get me in trouble so can we, uh, abandon it? 'Cause I'm really glad it was with you to," Willow leaned over for a chaste kiss and pulled back, tracing circles on the brunette's stomach, "So… being both of our first times, certain things would be new to both of us, right?"

"Things like what?" Tara asked with a quirked eyebrow, happy to let the momentary insecurity slide. She'd had plenty herself and knew it was better that Willow say it as oppose to keeping them to herself.

"You really gonna make me say it?"

"If you wanna do it you should be able to say it. Besides…my mind is running with possibilities right now, so you need to clarify," Tara smirked.

"We're gonna get back to that list, missy," Willow smirked as well, "But right now, I want to, you know…"

"Kiss me?" Tara asked teasingly.

Willow leaned forward for a quick kiss.

"I wanna kiss you…but lower down. You know, taste you."

Tara found herself completely aroused by both the idea and actually hearing her girlfriend say it so openly…even if it did take a little coaxing.

"That sounds good," she replied, her voice heavy.

"It does?"

"Definitely. In fact," Tara replied, rolling herself on top of the redhead, "I think I might just have to try it myself."

She leaned down and nipped at Willow's bottom lip, before sucking it into her mouth. Willow moaned into the embrace but found her thoughts racing.

_Oh god…I know I want to taste her…and that she'll taste great…but what if I don't taste good? What…What if she chokes or something? Or is disgusted? What if she pretends and I get lulled into a false sense of security and then she starts to resent me and it draws a massive wedge in our relationship, and wow, that was oddly specific, even for me. _

"Willow, what's wrong?" Tara asked when she had pulled back from the kiss and the redhead hadn't even noticed.

"Huh?" Willow was shook from her trance and realised what had happened, "I'm sorry."

"What're you thinking about?"

"I'm…it's stupid."

"Honey, please don't be hold back from me. Not after… everything that's just happened," Tara replied, stroking Willow's cheek.

Willow leaned into the touch and felt a blush start to rise in her cheeks, but resolved to voice her concerns.

"I'm worried you won't like what I taste like," she whispered.

Tara's eyes softened at the admission and she leaned down to kiss her lover again, while bringing one finger between their bodies, collecting some of Willow's juices on it. She pulled away from the kiss and made sure the redhead was watching as she started licking her finger, her eyes fluttering closed in the process.

She had done this to reassure the smaller girl of what she already knew, that no matter what she tasted like, it would be perfect to her, but it was swiftly turning into an experience that Tara was enjoying a lot more, the sweet and salty taste exceeding even her highest expectations.

"Willow, you are absolutely delicious," she moaned as she took a final lick.

Willow didn't need the words to be spoken, she had been reassured enough by the look on the brunette's face as the erotic scene played out in front of her and was now quite eager to be properly tasted.

Tara released her finger and leaned down for another kiss, letting her hands rub up and down Willow's sides sensually. After a moment she started her descent downward, quickly arriving at her girlfriend's pert breasts. She tugged a nipple between her teeth and ran her tongue over it, bringing a hand up to stimulate the other one.

"Mmmhhh, baby," Willow moaned at the contact, arching her back.

Willow arching her back effectively pushed more flesh into the brunette and she opened her mouth wide to engulf the entire breast. The redhead gasped, stroking Tara's hair with one hand.

Tara switched breasts and heard a small sigh from above. She continued her attentions until Willow was squirming beneath her and she felt a slight push on the top of her head. She pulled away and used both hands to cup the small breasts, kissing down the redhead's flat stomach. She twirled her tongue in the smaller girl's bellybutton for a few moments until she moved lower again and put a small kiss on top of soft red hairs.

"Please, Tara."

She moved her hands away from where they had been tweaking the younger girl's nipples and sat back, kneeling between her lover's legs.

"Can you open your legs a little?" she asked, biting her lip in anticipation.

Willow complied and spread her legs, her whole body shaking with the thoughts of what was about to happen. Tara lay down, settling her shoulders comfortably between the redhead's thighs and nuzzled the skin there with her cheek. She placed sporadic kisses, moving slowly upwards until she was just centimetres from her lover's throbbing centre. She looked up to see Willow staring back at her and gave her a small smile.

"Sorry if I'm a bit…clumsy," she said and felt Willow reach down to entwine one set of hands.

"You'll be perfect," the redhead reassured.

"Tell me…if I do something wrong?"

Willow just nodded and released the hand in hers.

Tara used her now-free hands to grip onto Willow's hips, before lowering her head and licking the length of her girlfriend's center. 

"Ohh god, Tara! Yes, baby, yes!"

Tara, encouraged by Willow's cries of pleasure, continued exploring her lover's wet heat. She ran her tongue around where she thought she remembered the redhead's clit being and smiled internally when she felt the small bump.

Willow also found herself incredibly pleased when she felt Tara flick over her clit, pulling back its hood in the process, but expressed her pleasure in a much more vocal manner.

"Holy mother of…Jesus, Tara, do that again!"

Tara eagerly complied, flicking over the sensitive tip of the girl's clit in fast strokes. She felt Willow's hand press against the back of her head, pushing her further in and brought her own hands up to wrap around the smaller girl's thighs, holding both of them in place.

Willow used her hand to guide Tara slightly lower, wanting her inside and bucked her hips when she felt her girlfriend's tongue enter her.

"That feels soo good… Oh! Don't stop!"

Tara had no intention of stopping and entered the redhead repeatedly; almost laughing as she felt the tight walls inside try to grip onto the slippery muscle with little success. On the next stroke, her nose accidentally hit against Willow's hard nub.

"Tara, baby, please…need to…" Willow panted out, the tension rising swiftly in her body.

Tara brought her mouth back up to the redhead's clit and wrapped her lips around the throbbing bundle of nerves, letting her tongue circle it for a minute before she started a hard sucking motion, feeling Willow's thighs start to twitch either side of her.

Willow gripped Tara's hair as she felt herself about to crash and used her other hand to grab the bed-sheet tightly.

"Oh Jesus, Tara, yes! Yes! YES! TARRAA!"

She arched completely off the bed as she came in a flurry of lights shooting behind her eyelids. Collapsing back, she loosened her hold on both Tara's head and the bed and felt the brunette continue to attend to her for another minute, bringing her down slowly.

When the older girl finally raised her head with a quick goodbye kiss to the redhead's clit, she had what Willow could only describe as a giddy smile on her face. Willow smiled lazily back.

"Mmhh, I was right. You were perfect," she said sleepily.

"You know, for a Jewish girl, you sure do call out to Jesus a lot," Tara chuckled from where she was resting her head on Willow's stomach.

"God, Jesus, Buddha, Yahweh, what you do to me is better than the divine."

"So that was okay?"

"Oh that was so much better than okay. Let me show you how okay it was."

"You're tired, love. We have plenty of time."

"Tara, I can, um, feel you," Willow said, the brunette's position lying between her meant her knee was privy to the copious wetness of her girlfriend's core, "So let-"

She was cut off by her own yawn and looked down at Tara guiltily.

"Me?" she finished off hopefully. Tara held herself up on her arms and moved up so she they were face to face and her centre was resting above Willow's thigh.

"Can we…like this?" she asked shyly, moving her centre up and down a little so Willow would know what she meant.

"Of course," Willow replied, glad at the arrangement.

Truth be told she wanted to be a lot more alert and unwavering in her attentions when she tasted Tara for the first time. She brought a hand down and parted the brunette's lips, then used both hands to cup her ass.

Tara started moving her centre again, her now-parted lips meaning her clit got all the friction and Willow used her grip on the taller girl's ass to help guide her motions. The brunette was already overflowing with wetness from the having made love to her girlfriend and could already feel her body responding to the touch.

"Oh Willow," she said and quickened her motions.

"You're so beautiful," Willow said in awe as she watched Tara with such rapture gracing her features, never letting up the thrusting movement on the brunette's butt cheeks.

"I love you," Tara panted, almost at the edge already, "Love you so much."

"I love you too, baby. Can you look at me? I wanna watch you."

Tara opened her eyes and looked down, smiling at the adorable look Willow had on her face, full of love and wonder.

She felt Willow dig her short nails into the flesh of her ass and it was enough to send her over, the orgasm crashing through her as she thrashed against the redhead, every nerve in her body on fire.

"Ohh god, oh god… oh Willow, oh WILLOW!"

She stilled her movement and felt Willow do the same, before she collapsed on top of the redhead, both of them now completely physically and emotionally spent.

"Too heavy?" Tara asked, breathless.

"Don't you dare move from right there," Willow replied, kicking the blanket up from the end of the bed and putting it around them both, "Sleep, baby."

"'Night beautiful," Tara replied, resting her head under Willow's chin.

"See you in the morning."


	18. Chapter 18

Willow fluttered her eyes open when a small bird tweeting outside her window pulled her from her sleep. She felt Tara still lying on top of her and grinned when she inhaled and found there was a heady scent of sex in the air. The images of the night before flashed through her mind and she felt a small shiver go through her.

She looked down at the girl in her arms, could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest and realised that she felt decidedly different from that time yesterday morning. She felt more…alive; more connected to life, to the world and most of all, more connected to Tara.

She'd given herself completely to the brunette and Tara had given herself completely in return; that was more than she could've ever asked for. Now, here they were, naked and in each other's arms and Willow had never felt safer or more loved.

She stroked Tara's hair softly, just basking in the warmth and affection of their love until an idea started to form in her mind. She gently manoeuvred them so they switched positions, Tara lying on her back with Willow on top. The redhead held herself up so the sudden weight wouldn't wake her girlfriend up; she wanted the brunette to be woken up by much nicer feelings.

She put a soft kiss on the taller girl's lips and saw her smile in her sleep. She put some more butterfly kisses all over Tara's face, on each of her eyelids, then her nose, placing one on each of her cheeks, before moving down her neck. She arrived at her pulse point and sucked softly, eliciting a giggle and playful 'Willow' from above but when the smaller girl raised her head she saw Tara was still fast asleep. She shrugged and continued moving downwards, licking lightly along the brunette's collarbone until she arrived at two round breasts and hesitated.

_Am I crossing a line here? Just because we've made love doesn't mean I can go around just fooling around with her breasts when she's not even conscious. No matter how much I want to. Or how much her nipples are poking out at me…looking all alert and wanting…I should put them out of their misery… Will Tara be mad though? _

"There a reason we're looking and not touching?" she heard Tara murmur from above, pulling her from her thoughts.

"Hey! When did you wake up?"

Tara sighed and opened one eye, looking down at her lover.

"When my body alerted me to the fact that the Willow-kisses I had been dreaming about, stopped."

"I wasn't sure if it was okay…"

"Very okay. Please continue. I can pretend to be asleep if you want," Tara smirked playfully.

"Uh uh. Want you fully awake when you feel my tongue inside you."

Both of Tara's eyes flew open and she looked at the sultry smile on Willow's face, swallowing as her mouth went dry.

"I'm awake. I'm very awake. I could win a competition for 'most awake girl in California'."

"Good," Willow smirked, then put a kiss on top of one of Tara's nipples, "But I want lots of Tara-juice when I get down there, so I'm gonna play up here for a while first, okay?"

"Oh trust me, quantity will not be an issue," Tara muttered, then realised what she said and blushed.

Willow giggled and dropped her head again to lick and kiss around the swell of her girlfriend's breasts. She kissed her way up to the nipple and ran her tongue over it, feeling it harden beneath her. She sucked it into her mouth and nibbled lightly, loving the delighted groan she heard when she did so. She switched breasts and gave the other nipple the same attention, going back and forth until Tara's moans were completely unrestrained and her breath coming in shallow gasps.

"P-please, Willow," the brunette rasped out.

Willow reluctantly left her girlfriend's breasts until she moved slightly lower and smelled the aroma of the brunette's arousal. She quickly shuffled down and settled between Tara's thighs so she could inhale deeply, and felt herself get light-headed.

"Tara, you smell soo good," she gushed, opening the brunette's thighs more so she could get a proper look at her centre, "Oh wow. You're all wet…Mmhh, I can see your clit, it's like peeking out at me. 'Touch me, Willow', that's what it's saying, no, 'lick me, Willow', that's it, very specific that little bundles of nerves and ooh it's all red and throbbing and hey! Did I do that? I hope it was me, there's no one else here…did I mention you smell good? Really good, like better than anyth-"

"Willow, honey, really not the time for babble," Tara squirmed, feeling her lover's hot breath on her centre and blushing from the comments involved in said babble.

"Oh right," Willow nodded, still spellbound by the sight in front of her, "You're just so beautiful. So I'm gonna taste you now, okay? Hehe, I'm about to go down on my girlfriend. I'm so excited. This felt so good when you did it so I hope it feels good for-"

Any other speech was muffled as Tara took the initiative, not being able to hold on any longer, she put her legs over the redhead's shoulders and crossed her ankles around her neck, pulling her into her own center. Having been teased into a point of utter frustration, the contact made her cry out.

"Ugh, yes! Oh yes!"

It took Willow a moment to realise that she had been pushed into the warm cocoon that her face was currently nestled in, but once she did she eagerly began lapping at the juices, needing more the moment the sweet taste hit her tongue.

She wanted to verbalise quite how much she was enjoying this to the brunette but decided she had spoken more than enough before Tara had quickened the process, which was extremely grateful for, she knew she could've gotten stuck on a never-ending loop of babble just talking about her girlfriend's sex.

She gathered all the juice she could find, then moved lower and tried to still her tongue as best she could before she plunged it inside.

"Ohhh! Just like that, Willow!"

She thrust her tongue in and out, reaching for the same soft spongy place she had managed to get to the night before with her fingers and gave herself a metaphorical pat on the back when she felt Tara cry out, knowing she'd made her aim.

"RIGHT THERE! Oh, god, right there!"

She buried her head in deeper, trying to give Tara some friction on her clit as well, but not wanting to abandon the steady thrusting rhythm she had established, feeling that the brunette was enjoying it immensely and quite frankly, she was loving the intimate way she got to be inside her girlfriend, different to how her fingers felt when they had been inside, and from the treatment she'd gotten the night before, she knew it felt different to be on the receiving end too. Softer and more personal almost.

_No…doesn't matter how we make love to each other, it's personal and just for us. This is just another of many variations we can try. And I think I'm thinking too much. Brain, send the memo, thoughts are to stop, all efforts to be concentrated solely on pleasing writhing girl beneath you. _

Her brain dutifully communicated this and Willow lost herself again in the taste and smell that was surrounding her, now using her nose to hit against her girlfriend's clit on each stoke.

After a few minutes she felt the legs on her shoulders stretch out, the muscles growing taut and knew her lover was nearing the edge. Tara confirmed this a second later.

"So close, Willow, so close."

The redhead redoubled her efforts, moving faster and harder as Tara started bucking against her.

"Oh Willow. Oh god, yes. Oh Will, Oh! WILLOW!"

Tara held Willow's head to her as she felt the orgasm tumble through her, fast and hard and accompanied by a series of aftershocks that continued as the smaller girl kept up her ministrations, easing off gradually until they were both completely still.

"Um…baby?" Willow asked, still muffled, as Tara hadn't let go of her head.

"Hmmm? Oh. Oh!" Tara replied, realising what she was doing and letting go, smiling sheepishly, "Sorry. Guess I like you down there."

"I like being down there," Willow sat back and smiled smugly.

"You're not gonna start babbling about it again, are you? 'Cause I was thoroughly embarrassed the first time."

"Hey!" Willow retorted in mock-indignation, shifting so she could lie next to the brunette, "You weren't complaining a second ago."

"I think the fact that I'm all over your face right now can attest to that fact," Tara replied jokingly, her post-orgasm bliss cutting out any censorship button she may have had.

"Oh," Willow said, bringing her hand up to wipe around her mouth and chin, "I really liked doing that."

"Felt incredible. You have a very talented tongue, Ms. Rosenberg. And what a way to wake up. What time is it anyway?"

Willow looked over the taller girl's shoulder at the clock on her wall.

"9:30am. It was past three before we went to sleep."

"You checked the time?"

"I stayed up watching you for a while. May have glanced casually to the clock in the process. Oh, hey, not in a weird stalkery way watching you, just 'cause you looked so beautiful sleeping in the moonlight. And I was kinda buzzing, you know?"

"Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. So what's our plan for today?"

"Uh, I was thinking pretty much exactly this. Is that a problem?" Willow giggled.

"Definitely not," Tara said and leaned over for a kiss.

Willow pulled away a minute later with a happy smile on her face. She sat up and swung off the bed.

"We should get some food. Energy for our efforts and all," she smirked.

Tara propped herself up on one elbow, the blanket covering only her lower half as she watched the redhead get a fresh pair of panties from her drawer and slip them on. Willow looked over and saw the brunette's exposed breasts peeking out, feeling another wave of desire.

"You know, I think I'm gonna have a shower first instead," she said and walked out the door.

Tara stayed there, surprised for a moment until Willow put her head back around the door, smiling.

"Aren't you coming?"


	19. Chapter 19

"I certainly hope so," Tara said, jumping up and running to the doorway, embracing her lover from behind and placing a series of kisses on her neck.

"Mmhh, that can definitely be arranged," Willow replied, tilting her head and offering more of her neck for the brunette.

She walked them both towards the bathroom, Tara never stopping her attentions. When they got there, Willow spun around in her girlfriend's arms and pushed the taller girl against the door, closing it in the process.

She tilted her head and Tara leaned down, their lips meeting in a fiery embrace and Willow pushed her tongue through to meet its eager twin. She brought her hands up and cupped both of Tara's breasts, rubbing her thumb over the nipples. The older girl moaned into the kiss and ran her hands up and down Willow's back.

The redhead pulled away after a few minutes, eliciting a disappointed whimper from the other girl.

"Need to start the shower," she said off the confused look.

Tara nodded and Willow went to move towards the shower but was pulled back from around the waist.

"Panties off," Tara whispered in her ear, "I wanna see your butt when you lean over."

"What my girl wants, my girl gets," Willow replied sensually, dragging her panties down her body and going towards the shower again, making a pointed effort to bend over and stick her ass in air, surprising herself with her blunt display of sexuality, but loving it nonetheless.

"Yummy," Tara verbalised her appreciation, resisting the urge to reach out and grab the flesh, then wondering why the hell she was resisting and leapt forward, grabbing a butt cheek in each hand.

"Ooh, baby," Willow moaned at the contact, putting her hands against the door of the shower, stabilising herself, "Still have to put the shower on…"

Tara dropped her hands and cleared her throat nervously.

"Um, Will? Are we okay to…you know…here? I mean, family bathroom and all?"

"Huh?" Willow asked, turning to face the brunette, "Baby, this is my bathroom. My parents have their own. I'm the only one ever in here."

"Oh. Well then, let's shower!"

Willow opened the shower door and reached in, twisting the knobs to get to a good temperature and let it run for a second. She reached behind and took Tara's hand before standing under the spray, pulling the other girl in with her. Tara closed the door behind them and the couple got close so they could both stand under the showerhead.

"It's warm," Tara said, pointing out the obvious.

"It's nice," Willow replied.

"Can I wash your hair?"

Willow reached behind the brunette and grabbed the bottle of shampoo, handing it to her wordlessly. Tara squirted some of the liquid into her hands and moved Willow out of the spray so she could lather it through the wet red tresses.

"You are so beautiful," she whispered, bringing them both back under the spray, washing the shampoo out, "So beautiful."

Willow took the bottle from Tara's hands and copied the brunette's motions, shampooing her girlfriend's hair and washing it clean.

She put the bottle back in its basket and took the shower gel, putting some in her hands and then setting it back in place. She rubbed her hands together and ran them along Tara's sides, soaping her up.

Tara giggled as Willow moved across her stomach and up to her breasts, making sure every inch of flesh was lathered up.

"I think they're clean," she said as the redhead continued her ministrations.

"I have to make sure," Willow replied, not letting up. Eventually the smaller girl moved her hands to trail down the brunette's sides. Tara took the opportunity to bring their bodies together.

"This way we'll save soap," she said, moving against the other girl, transferring the lather between them.

Willow moaned and wrapped her arms around Tara's neck, moving with the brunette. They continued in this fashion for a few minutes until the brunette backed them up against the wall. Willow shivered as the cool tile hit her back, but quickly forgot about the cold when Tara swooped down and took a nipple in her mouth.

"Mmmhhh, Tara," she moaned, resting one hand lightly on top of her girl's head.

Tara switched back and forth for a few minutes, holding onto the redhead's hips, before straightening up and cupping Willow's cheeks, kissing her deeply.

"Turn around," she said softly when they pulled back.

Willow complied and gasped when skin again came into contact with the wall, the fact that her skin was even more heated from her girlfriend's touch making the tile seem that much colder.

She felt Tara move behind her and looked over her shoulder to see her kneeling on the shower floor, gripping her hips. She put her own hands flat against the wall and sighed softly when she felt the brunette start to trail kisses across her lower back. She moaned when she felt the lips go lower, licking and nibbling the flesh of her bottom.

After a few minutes, the brunette stood up, wrapping one arm around the redhead's waist and placing her hand flat over the girl's stomach. She let the other follow the curve of Willow's ass, and encouraged the smaller girl to open her legs. The redhead did as requested and felt Tara enter her suddenly from behind with one finger.

"Oh shit, baby that's good."

Tara, whose head was resting against the smaller girl's shoulder, smiled at the swear word, finding it wonderfully naughty to hear it coming from her shy girlfriend, especially given the fact that it was brought out from something she herself was doing. The thought spurring her on, she moved her finger in and out, increasing her pace gradually until she was moving at a fairly fast speed and slipped a second finger inside as well.

"God yes," Willow groaned as she felt herself being filled completely.

"You're so tight, Will," Tara whispered in her ear, starting a rubbing motion on the girl's stomach, "You feel so good."

Willow grunted in response and started rolling her hips, dropping her head forward when she felt Tara hit against her sweet spot.

"Harder," she panted and let out a long moan when the brunette promptly started thrusting harder inside her.

Tara continued the rubbing motion on Willow's stomach, feeling the muscles beneath jumping around. She started moving downwards, getting lower and lower until it was just two fingers rubbing firmly against the redhead's clit.

"Oh god, I'm so… I love you Tara, I love you."

"Love you too," Tara replied in that same sensual low tone she had adopted from the beginning of their lovemaking session.

Willow felt herself cresting and Tara's words were all she needed to finally go over, bucking uncontrollably against the brunette's fingers as the waves of pleasure shot through her.

"TARRRAA!"

She felt her legs begin to give way, but Tara was quick to bring the hand, that had been paying attention to the girl's clit, up to hold her around the waist as her other hand continued to thrust slowly.

"I've got you, honey, I've got you."

Willow nodded and took some deep breaths as Tara stilled her movements altogether. With one last shudder she slowly turned in the brunette's arms, her fingers getting extracted in the process and wrapped her arms around her neck again, leaning up for a smouldering kiss.

"Wow, baby. Talk about intense," Willow said, pulling back a few moments later.

"I really like making love to you," Tara replied, then seemed to get embarrassed by the admission and ducked her head.

"Hey, baby, believe me," Willow responded and tilted the brunette's head up with her hand, "I very much like that you like it. And I like making love to you too. I love it. In fact, I think I would very much like to show you how much."

Tara didn't get a chance to respond as their positions were swiftly reversed and Willow was on her knees in front of her, lavishing kisses all over her smooth stomach.

Tara moaned her approval at this sudden change and the redhead moved to give the same attention to the taller girl's hips, kissing down her thighs, moving slowly inwards. The older girl spread her legs as much as she could in a not-so-subtle request and Willow eagerly dived in, burying her face into Tara's curls, bringing her hands up to hold onto the brunette's hips, steadying both of them.

"Oh Willow, Willow, Willow, Willow," Tara repeated over and over again in a mantra as she felt her girlfriend's tongue start to glide through her.

As she heard the brunette saying her name over and over, almost like she was her own personal cheer squad, she wrapped her lips around the taller girl's bundle of nerves and started a strong sucking motion, moving her jaw as fast as she could. She let her tongue flick over it in fast strokes before sucking again, continuing in this fashion as Tara gasped and groaned above her, one of her hands would tightly into red hair.

"God this feels so good. Oh god, don't stop, I think I'll die if you stop," Tara rasped out, her head thrashing from side to side.

Willow got out a barely audible 'won't stop' before continuing, bringing one hand down to probe at her girlfriend's opening. She was about to enter the brunette when she heard her speak again.

"Two, Will. Fill me up."

The redhead positioned two fingers at the brunette's entrance and began to push in slowly, knowing she'd only used one the night before and wanting to ease in. Tara had a different idea however and bore down, taking all of the smaller girl's fingers inside, crying out at the duel stimulation of her lover's hand and tongue.

"Ugh. Holy crap. Oh my… that is so good, Willow, so fucking good."

Willow found herself just as pleased with Tara's use of the swear word as the brunette had been earlier and filed it away in the back of her mind to be a bit more free-flowing with them.

She redoubled her efforts and, making sure to keep her mouth on target, glanced up, instantly enthralled by the sight of her girl, eyes shut tight, mouth hanging open, breasts heaving up and down as she continued to move herself against the redhead.

Willow heard a hitch in her girlfriend's breath and with one last simultaneous suck and thrust, she felt the contractions around her fingers and knew the brunette was coming. She opened her mouth wide to accept the onslaught of juices, letting them slide down her throat as she savoured the flavour.

Tara felt the orgasm rip through her. She tried to open her mouth to say the only thing that was going through her mind, to call out Willow's name, but found herself unable, all her energy going to the intense pleasure shooting from nerve to nerve. Without warning, she suddenly felt Willow thrust up into her again in a hard motion, hitting right against her sweet spot and exploded all over again. Barely having had time to recover from the first one, the intensity caused her to collapse onto the floor beneath.

Willow saw what was happening and quickly manoeuvred her free arm to ease her lover down into a sitting position; her own fingers still nestled inside. Tara was breathing heavily, her eyes still shut tight.

"You okay, love?" Willow asked, concerned when the brunette didn't move or say anything after a few minutes.

Tara fluttered her eyes open and looked into concerned green orbs.

"Okay doesn't even begin to describe it. That was amazing."

"Was shower sex on that list you were talking about?" Willow smirked.

"No. But it's on my new 'things I have to do with Willow again' list. I think we'll find it will end up being quite comprehensive."

Willow smiled and went to move forward, quickly remembering where her fingers still were in the process.

"Is it okay if I get my hand back?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Oh, right," Tara said, blushing and opening her legs a little, "Sorry."

Willow slowly extracted her fingers, hearing a small whimper from the brunette at the loss and brought the digits up to examine.

"Hehe, I'm all wrinkly," she giggled, showing Tara her fingers too.

Tara giggled too and pulled Willow to her, meeting in a firm kiss, tasting herself on the redhead's lips. They both got to their feet, never letting up their lip lock until they were both under the showerhead again.

Willow pulled back and giggled once again.

"Now that is impressive."

"What?" Tara asked, confused but giggling along anyway, finding her girlfriend's laughter to be infectious.

"The water's still warm."


	20. Chapter 20

"I still don't see why we have to wear clothes," Willow grumbled.

"Because if we didn't, we'd never get our homework done. Besides it's practice for when we go back into the real world. School tomorrow," Tara reasoned.

"But do we have to wear so many?!"

Tara glanced up from the textbook, which was actually Willow's as neither of them wanted to have to leave the house for anything. She had called her mother the day before to tell her that she was going to stay with Willow for the weekend and that she would be home Monday after school.

They were both lying on the floor of Willow's bedroom, trying to get their homework out of the way, having spent the entire day Saturday making love, stopping only to eat actual food and go to the bathroom, and now it was Sunday and they had resolved to do their work in the early afternoon so they could spend the evening doing whatever they wanted. Both of them had a pretty good idea of what they wanted to do for said evening, glad that they had the Rosenbergs house to themselves, Sheila and Ira weren't due back until Monday afternoon. She shot the redhead a mock-exasperated look.

"Honey, we're only wearing flimsy little robes and don't think I didn't notice that you gave me one of the smallest ones you have. You can practically see my butt."

"No practically about it, baby," Willow leered, leaning a hand over to rest on exposed lower half of her girlfriend's rear, "Robe starting riding up when you lay down."

Tara rolled her eyes, secretly loving the attention until Willow caught her eye.

"Hey, Tare?" she in slightly nervous voice.

"Yeah?"

"I wanna tell my parents about us, about who I am. I think it's time."

"I think that's great, honey. I'll do whatever you need."

Willow reached across to entwine their hands.

"Thanks. I'm not quite sure the how or when yet, but I'll figure it out. I love you."

Tara smiled and let go of her hands then licked her lips subconsciously as she saw Willow's robe open slightly and the swell of her breasts came into view.

"What do you have left?" she asked, nodding down at the books surrounding them.

"Um…two more calculus equations and I'm done."

Tara nodded, having finished her only written work, some Biology questions that she and Willow had done together and was now just reading over the chapter, making sure she understood it.

"As soon as you finish, I promise I'll rock your world… and your bed," she purred, licking her lips again, intentionally this time and with a highly sensual undertone.

Willow gulped and snatched her pen from the floor beside her, quickly reading the last two questions in her book, mumbling as she did so.

"Okay, r= 2 and p= 3sinθ…mmhh…gonna have her hands all over me… math, math, intersecting curves…ohh, Tara's curves, rubbing up against me…hehe…wish I was your derivative so I could lie tangent to your curves."

"Willow, I can you hear you," Tara replied without looking up, still flicking through the pages of the textbook, "And if you concentrate on the work, you really can by my derivative, okay?"

Willow took a few deep breaths to try and clear her mind of anything but the math equations in front of her. It seemed to work as less than fifteen minutes later, she slammed her book closed and jumped up, whipping the robe off her body and throwing it across the room, leaving her completely naked.

"I'm done," she said, looking down at the wide-eyed Tara, "Now can I see your boobies?"

Tara couldn't control the snort of laughter at hearing her girlfriend's words. She stood and pulled the naked girl to her.

"Boobies? What are we, five?"

Willow didn't say anything but undid the tie on Tara's robe, letting it hang open. The brunette shrugged the fabric down her shoulders and let it pool around her feet.

"That's better. Now I can see all of you," the redhead said, running her hands up and down her girlfriend's body, "You feel so good."

"Mmhh," Tara moaned in reply, walking them back towards Willow's bed, "You feel better."

The back of Willow's knees hit against the bed and she sat down, Tara instantly leaning over her to encourage her into a lying position, before lying on top of the smaller girl herself, putting their entire bodies in contact.

"Not possible," Willow gasped out as she felt their nipples rub against each other.

"Bend your knees," Tara whispered in her ear, then moved her lips down to start an assault on the girl's neck.

Willow bent her knees in compliance and felt the brunette adjust herself slightly, never stopping the kisses on her neck, so she was lying flat between the smaller girl's legs, rubbing their centres together.

"Ugh, Tara," Willow grunted at the contact, using her hands to grab onto the flesh of Tara's ass, pushing their centres even closer. She spread her legs a little more, feet flat on the bed and felt every movement of the brunette against her clit, "This feels incredible."

Tara continued nipping and licking at her girlfriend's neck, moving up occasionally to suck her earlobe into her mouth as she too felt the delicious friction in her centre. She heard Willow's moaning get more and unrestrained and felt the redhead's fingernails dig into her ass a little and she stilled all her movements.

"No!" Willow almost sobbed, trying to use her hands position to start up the movements again but Tara stayed firm, "Please, baby, please, I'm so close, I'm almost there."

Tara held herself up on her forearms so she could look into Willow's eyes and almost relented at the pleading look she saw in them. Almost, but not quite. She'd promised world-rocking and things were progressing far too quickly for her liking.

"I know, honey, I know. I just wanna slow things down a little. I promise, it will be worth it, okay?"

"Promise?" Willow asked in a small voice, her mind completely blank from how close she'd been to her orgasm.

"I promise, love, I promise," Tara reassured, leaning down for deep kiss that pledged said promise.

Willow relaxed into the kiss, knowing Tara would give her all the pleasure she could ask for if she just trusted her. And she did trust her, wholly and completely, with her mind, heart and right now, with her body.

Tara felt her girlfriend calm down slightly, her hands starting to rub lightly up and down her back instead of the rigid hold she had had on her ass and let her own hands come between them to cup the redhead's breasts. Willow moaned into the kiss and moved their duelling tongues, which had been in her mouth, into the brunette's, as Tara continued massaging her breasts, rubbing over her nipples occasionally.

After what seemed like hours of kissing, Tara pulled away and trailed a line of kisses straight down her girl's collarbone, through the valley between her breasts and to her soft red curls, which were damp with arousal. She kept her hands squeezing the pert breasts as her head moved down.

Tara nuzzled in the curls for a minute, taking in the scent before pulling back and staring at her centre for a moment, her lips puffy and open, spread wide by Willow bending her knees and her clit already peeking out from its hood, throbbing, waiting to be touched. She glanced up and met Willow's eye, giving her a sensual half-smile, then lowered her head, making sure their gazes stayed locked and let her tongue slide into the wetness, gathering as much as she could.

Their gaze was broken as Willow's head fell back onto the pillow, Tara's tongue beginning to stroke her. She groaned and let one hand clutch the sheet while the other went to Tara's head, pulling her even closer into her centre.

"So fucking good, baby," she panted out, arching her back when she felt Tara start pinching both her nipples at the same time as she was flicking over her clit.

Tara moved her tongue down and lapped at the redhead's entrance for a few seconds before pushing it inside, dragging it along her front wall, thrusting in and out as Willow began to buck her hips.

"God, Tara, I'm so close."

"I still don't see why we had to miss that last lecture, Ira," Sheila rolled her eyes at her husband as he opened the front door of their house, "Why does is matter if we're home today or tomorrow?"

"Willow seemed quite upset that we weren't here for her birthday. I thought we could take her out to dinner tonight," Ira replied, dropping their suitcases in the hallway, "Noise coming from upstairs. She must be watching a movie in her room."

"Well, go get her then. We'll need to leave for dinner now if I want to get back in time to read those conference sheets before I call the University and plan my lecture schedule."

Ira nodded dutifully and turned to go up the stairs.

"Yes, Tara, yes," Willow whispered breathlessly as she felt the start of the orgasm begin within her, slowly rising, "I'm gonna come, Tara."

Tara brought her lips up to wrap around her girlfriend's clit, sucking it in a series of fast fluid motions that, combined with the hard pinching the brunette was doing to the younger girl's nipples, had the desired affect of sending the redhead over the edge.

Willow let out a low guttural moan as she felt the orgasm hit her with such force that her back arched her off the bed, almost into a full sitting position…a position from which she could see, virtually acting out in slow-motion before her, her bedroom door opening and a figure standing in the doorway, his mouth opening and closing in shock.

"Dad!" she squealed, causing Tara to look up, confused, from where she had been cosily nestled in beforehand.

"Dad?" she asked then followed her girlfriend's horrified eye line.

She quickly scrambled to get the blanket around the both of them and brought her hand up to wipe her mouth clean of any evidence. Ira saw the action and it seemed to snap him to attention. He quickly turned his back.

"Willow, I think we need to talk downstairs. Alone."

He put heavy emphasis on the word 'alone' before turning and leaving, departing towards the stairwell.

Willow stared at the spot that her father had stood in and Tara brought her hand up to her mouth again, this time to bite on her nails.

"I'm sorry," she said after a moment, trying to say anything to fill the silence.

Tara's voice broke the redhead out of her daze.

"Tara, baby, no, please don't apologise. Never apologise for loving me or showing me that you love me."

"But, Will-"

"Not how I wanted them to find out. Even a little bit. But it's out there now, so we'll just have to talk it through."

"How are you so calm right now?"

"Maybe 'cause you just gave me a mind-blowing orgasm," Willow tried to joke.

"Willow!" Tara replied, blushing from head to toe already and felt herself going even redder.

Willow sighed and jumped off the bed, getting some clean underwear, sweats and a t-shirt from her dresser and started to put them on.

Tara went over to her bag, which had a spare change of clothes in it but hadn't been needed up until this point. They both got changed in silence. Tara pulled her t-shirt over her head and walked over to where Willow was pulling on a pair of socks.

"Do you want me to stay?" she asked, putting her hand on the redhead's shoulder.

Willow leaned her head down to nuzzle her cheek against the hand and gave the older girl a small smile.

"Yes. But I don't think they'll react well to it. I think I need to talk to them on my own, tell them how special you are to me, how you complete me. That it's not a passing fad, you know?"

Tara nodded and leaned down for a chaste kiss.

"I love you and nothing will ever change that, okay?" Willow said when they pulled back.

Tara nodded again and got up to get her bag. Willow followed and they both walked to the doorway.

"Time to face the music," the redhead sighed, starting towards the stairs.

Tara grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, before dropping it and they both walked down. Willow spied her parents in the living room and gave Tara a small smile.

The brunette mouthed 'I love you' before going out the front door while Willow walked towards her parents, taking deep breaths as she went.

* * *

Tara walked through her own front door and straight into her living room, where her mother was reading a magazine. She sat down on the sofa beside her and pulled a cushion to her chest.

Jen, surprised to see her daughter home a day early and even more surprised to see the sorrowful look on her face, swiftly dropped the magazine and turned to face her.

"What's wrong, sugar? Did you and Willow have a fight?"

Tara shook her head and pulled the cushion tighter. She turned and sighed.

"Willow's dad walked in on us," she said, blushing again.

"Oh," Jen said, not quite sure how to react. She'd been pretty sure what was going on when Tara had called to say she wouldn't be home, but to have it confirmed was a bit of a peculiar feeling. She quickly pushed any of her own uncomfortable feelings aside when she saw how much pain her daughter was in, "How did he react?"

"He seemed pretty angry. I mean, Willow isn't even out to her parents and he walks in on his daughter with her girlfriend's head between…" Tara went from blushing red to stark white as she realised what she'd said, "Oh god."

She groaned and dropped her head into the pillow.

"Oh baby girl," Jen said, scooting a little closer and wrapping her arms around her in a hug, "It'll all be okay."

"Really?" Tara asked in a small voice.

"Yeah," Jen reassured, then gave her a quick smile, "It just means you'll have to spend your quality time here."

"Mom!"

"Okay, not ready for teasing, duly noted. But things will work out."

Tara sighed again and nodded. She knew her mother was right, but her head and heart in a pretty fragile place after the emotional roller coaster that making love for the first time had been, as well as the numerous subsequent times, and being walked in on had just added a whole other assortment of feelings into the mix, feelings she didn't want associated with her relationship with Willow. Whether from her own experience or just because they were so close, Tara wasn't sure, but Jen seemed to sense what was going on in the brunette's head and held her tighter.

"You have nothing to be ashamed about," she said in a strong voice, "You did nothing wrong."

"I really love her, Mom."

"I know you do, sugar. And she loves you too."

Tara wrapped her own hands around her mother in response, taking in the comfort.

"Thanks for being so cool. Most parents would have completely freaked."

Jen said nothing but dropped a kiss on top of her daughter's head in response. They were disturbed from their embrace a few minutes later by a small knocking on the front door.

Tara looked to her mother in question.

"I'm not expecting anyone," Jen said, getting up.

"I wasn't even supposed to be here," Tara responded.

Jen shrugged and walked out of the living room, towards the front door. She opened it to reveal a shuffling redhead with a bag on her back, eyes red and swollen from crying, cheeks tear-stained with some tears still flowing down them.

"Is Tara here?"


	21. Chapter 21

Jen heard Willow's voice break when she said 'Tara' and seeing even more tears begin to flow down her cheeks, she quickly pulled her into a hug, inside the house.

Willow burst into deep sobs at the loving gesture and hugged back, until she felt herself being slowly turned and was in a set of arms she was much more familiar with.

Tara, who had come running when she heard her girlfriend's voice, held the crying redhead to her and nodded to her mother, who had motioned that she would be in the living room if she was needed, not wanting to impose on the couple.

When Willow's sobs hadn't eased off a few minutes she slowly started walking them forwards.

"I'm just gonna take us to my room," she whispered in the crying girl's ear.

She moved them down the hallway and into her room, walking them over to the bed and encouraging Willow to lie down. The redhead did and Tara lay beside her, softly stroking her hair as the sobs began to subside to quiet sniffles. A few minutes later, the smaller girl spoke up.

"They kicked me out."

Tara couldn't stop the gasp that came out at the revelation.

"They what!?" 

Willow looked up at her girlfriend with sad eyes.

"They were so mean, Tara. They said that they wouldn't have a lesbian for a daughter and that they were horrified I'd let a goy into my bed."

Tara winced at the term 'goy', but regained herself enough to listen to the redhead's story.

"And I told them, I told them you were the love of my life and that you were the most amazing girl. But they said you had influenced me, turned me gay, which is ridiculous, 'cause I wasn't turned gay, and besides I knew before I ever even met you. Hell, I came out to Buffy and Xander before I ever even met you, and I told them that and that I couldn't tell them because I was afraid of their exact reaction and then they said that there were places I could go to get better. Better, like I have an illness. And I said like hell I would, that nothing would stop me being who I am and being with you and they said that if that was the way I felt that I should just get out, 'cause I wasn't welcome there anymore. So I packed a bag and when I was leaving, Dad just threw a couple of hundreds at me and they both looked like they were disgusted by me. Baby, what am I gonna do?"

Willow burst into a fresh set of tears as she finished and Tara felt her own eyes well up at her girlfriend's pain. The redhead wiped at her eyes and in the process saw the small clock on Tara's beside locker.

"I have to go soon," she added on quietly.

"Go? Go where?"

"The motel. I need to check in before 5pm, otherwise sometimes they're out of rooms."

"Motel?" Tara replied, shocked, "Willow, not a chance. You're staying here until we figure this all out."

"I can't imp-"

"You're not. You shared your bed with me, honey. Let me share mine."

"I'll sort something out, I promise. I have a bank account with money saved up, it was for college, but-"

Tara placed a finger on the girl's lips to stop her speaking.

"Let's not even worry about that right now. It's been a very exhausting day. Wanna just sleep for a little bit?"

Willow nodded gratefully.

"Yeah," she said with a sad smile, "That'd be nice."

Tara stood up and pulled both of their shoes off, before closing her bedroom door and closing over the curtains. She walked back to the bed and took off her jeans, shaking herself free from the material.

"Um, baby? It's, uh, not that I don't want to, I'm just really, really-"

"Just don't want to sleep in my belt, Will," Tara chuckled, pulling the blanket from under the redhead and slipping in beside her, pulling the fabric over them, "It's bulky and uncomfortable."

"Oh. Right. Sorry. Benefit of wearing sweats."

Willow turned so her back was to Tara and the brunette adjusted herself, spooning her girlfriend. She placed a soft kiss below the smaller girl's ear and tightened her hold.

"Things will look better after sleep, love. Just rest. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Promise?"

Tara's heart melted at the vulnerable tone and she flashbacked to the last promise she had made earlier that afternoon, promises of never-ending pleasure that were so different to the one she was about to make, yet even more important.

"I absolutely promise."

Willow seemed to accept this and cuddled in closer.

"Love you, Tare."

"With all my heart, Will," Tara finished.

Willow let that flood her entire being, forgetting her parents and everything else, as best she could for now, just concentrating on her love for Tara and the love she got back. The sense of security she felt quickly lulled her into sleep as the brunette just held onto her.

Tara had felt Willow drift off and continued to lie there, contemplating everything that had happened. After about twenty minutes, confident that her girlfriend was sound asleep, she carefully extracted herself from the smaller girl and went to her dresser, quietly pulling out a pair of pyjama bottoms and putting them on before just as quietly going out the door and into the living room.

"Tara," Jen said from her position on the sofa when she saw her daughter enter the room, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Tara nodded and sat down in the armchair, "She's sleeping. They kicked her out, Mom."

"They what?!"

"They kicked her out. Said that if she wasn't willing to like, take hetero lessons that she couldn't live under their roof."

"You told her she could stay here, right?"

"Yeah," Tara said, grateful it was okay with her mother, "She was talking about getting a motel tonight and then about her college fund, using it to find somewhere…God, Mom, she doesn't deserve this. She's got such a beautiful soul and…and…"

"And if the Rosenberg's can't see that it's their loss."

"But it's hers too. She's seventeen, just, and her parents, who were never really there for her anyway, just cut her off. It's not fair."

"No it's not, baby girl. But she has you. And all your friends. And I'm here if either of you need anything."

Tara smiled gratefully and stood up.

"I better get back. I told her I'd be there when she woke up and I don't think she'll handle it well if I'm not."

"I'll cook some dinner. She likes my lasagne, right?"

"Yeah. That'd be great. Thanks."

"Come here," Jen said standing up and wrapping her daughter in a hug, "Go be strong for your girl."

"I will, Mom," Tara said, leaning into the embrace, "I will."

They broke apart and Tara took a deep breath, and with one last smile towards her mother she left the room and went back to her bedroom, happy to see Willow still soundly asleep. She slipped her pyjama bottoms off again, not wanting the redhead to think she'd left at all and softly got back into bed, resuming her previous position, spooning her girlfriend from behind.

An hour later, the brunette had fallen asleep as well and was only pulled from her slumber when she felt the redhead turn in her arms.

"Hey," she said, a sleepy smile on her face as she looked into green eyes, "How're you doing?"

"Bit better," Willow replied, leaning over for a quick kiss.

"We will figure this all out," Tara said with what she hoped was a reassuring smile, but truth be told she had no idea how they would.

Willow was about to say something but was stopped by her own stomach rumbling. She smiled sheepishly.

"Mom's making dinner," Tara said when she heard the rumble, "We haven't eaten since that fruit we scoffed down for breakfast."

"We were busy getting busy," Willow replied, but Tara saw her eyes fill with tears as she said it, "It's not right. They made me feel so dirty for loving you."

"I felt like that too," Tara whispered.

Willow looked equally shocked and hurt at the revelation and averted her gaze. She went to stand up, leaving Tara confused.

"Willow? What're you doing?"

"If it's so…dirty and disgusting loving me then maybe I shouldn't be here either," the younger girl spat out.

Tara grabbed the redhead's arm and pulled her back so they were lying next to each other again. She fixed the girl with a steady gaze.

"Listen to me, Willow," she said, her voice starting to break with emotion, "There is nothing more right or more beautiful in my life than us, our relationship, _all _aspects of it. What I meant was that I felt ashamed right after your father came in and I never want to feel that about us. It was just automatic reaction, but my Mom made it very clear to me that we did absolutely nothing wrong. I just needed to hear it to believe it, okay? Nothing we do could ever be disgusting or, or…dirty."

Willow took in all that Tara had said and instantly felt bad for snapping. She knew the brunette loved her and was proud of that fact, she'd demonstrated it enough times. She didn't know how to apologise for her outburst, so opted to go for a joke to ease the tension instead.

"What if I wanted us to be dirty?" she asked, waggling her eyebrows.

Tara chuckled, happy the redhead had been reassured by her words and wrapped her arms around the girl's waist.

"Then it'll be our kinda dirty and decided by us, not any outsiders who have no idea what our relationship is like, okay?"

"Mmhh, looking forward to it," Willow cuddled into the embrace before they were interrupted by a stomach rumbling again, this time Tara's.

"Mom made lasagne."

"I love your Mom's lasagne," Willow said, her voice a bit perkier.

"Well come on then, let's go eat," Tara replied, getting them both up off the bed.

"That's what got us into this whole mess in the first place."

Tara smirked and pulled her pyjama bottoms back on as Willow started speaking again.

"Tara? Thank you for everything."

Tara smiled as she took her girlfriend's hand. She brought it up to her mouth and kissed each knuckle.

"No need to thank me, beautiful. Remember our first movie date?"

Willow nodded, smiling at the memory and squeezed the hand in hers.

"You'll always be there to hold my hand."


	22. Chapter 22

"You ready?" Tara asked gently after she had taken the keys from the ignition.

"Yeah. As I'll ever be," Willow replied, casting a reassuring smile across the car.

After dinner the night before and an impromptu bubble fight when they had done the dishes, the couple had elected for an early night, having had an exhausting weekend. Willow had been able to grab enough clothes to last at least a few days, and could wash anything that she needed to, as well as her book bag for school, so she didn't have to worry about sneaking into her house to get anything.

She had found that, surprisingly, she was able to sleep, even with all the thoughts running through her mind and the fact that she'd had a nap already, that Tara's arms around her just soothed her to the point that she could do nothing but relax.

The morning had come quickly, bringing the prospect of school, which Willow was looking forward to, a distraction of sorts, but it also meant facing the gang and telling them what had happened.

They got out of the car, clasping hands as they walked into the school grounds, spotting Buffy and Anya sitting together on a bench near the entrance.

"Hey Will, Tara," Buffy greeted, "Where've you two been all weekend? Haven't heard a thing from you guys."

"Um, around," Tara answered, trying to hide her blush, both her and Willow sitting on the bench as well.

"Actually, guys," Willow sighed, "Something happened."

"Ohh, what? Did you two finally do it?" Anya asked, leaning forward in interest.

"Ahn, why don't you come over here, with me, I'll fill you in while Willow talks to Buffy," Tara said, standing up and dragging her friend away before she had a chance to respond.

"All that woman ever thinks about is sex," Buffy shook her head, watching them leave.

"She's right, Buff," Willow replied in a quiet voice.

"What?!"

"We made love."

"Will, that's great. Why aren't you woo-hooing? Was it not good? Don't let the first time put you off; my first time was really just sore and uncomfortable. That and I didn't really love Riley, I mean, I thought I did, but you know…"

"No, Buffy, it was incredible. I've never felt anything more amazing in my life."

"Then what's wrong?"

Willow took a deep breath and looked her friend in the eye.

"Dad walked in on us."

Buffy's eyes went wide.

"Oh that's not good. Right in the middle of…?"

"Actually at the exact same second that I…that's not important, point is, he got an eyeful and I got outed all at once."

"Jeez…what'd he do?" Buffy asked, feeling sorry for her best friend.

"They kicked me out, Buff," Willow replied in a small voice, hanging her head.

"They kicked you out!? How…What!?"

"Said I wasn't welcome in their home as long as I refused to 'change my ways'."

"Where are you staying?" Buffy asked, her head spinning from all the information.

"Tara's. Her Mom is being super nice, said I could stay as long as I need. I don't want to impose, but I believe her, ya know? That I really am welcome."

"There's a bed at mine if you need it too."

"Thanks, Buffy. I appreciate it."

Tara and Anya chose that moment to come back and Tara sat next to her girlfriend, entwining their hands once again.

"You guys are okay, though, right?" Buffy asked, needing to be reassured that her friends were all right, "All happy and couply?"

"Very much so," Tara said, giving Willow a kiss on the forehead.

"Morning, ladies," Xander said as he walked up to them just then, "What's new?"

"Willow got kicked out after her Dad walked in on Tara going down on her," Anya remarked.

"Anya!" Tara said through gritted teeth as Willow went pale.

"You gave her specifics?!" the redhead asked, upset.

"She kept asking and apparently I was blushing more at the right answers," Tara replied in an apologetic tone.

Willow nodded, knowing Anya and knowing that she had an uncanny ability to get information out of someone even if they never said a word.

"I, uh, I…" Xander said from in front of them, a shocked look on his face. He snapped himself out of his daze as two words registered with him, "Kicked out? They kicked you out? Where are you staying?"

"With me," Tara said, wrapping one of her arms around her girlfriend's waist.

"Whoa, that is crazy bad. I'm sorry Willster, is there anything I can do?"

"Just you guys being here is good," Willow replied, looking around at her group of friends, "Thanks for being my friends."

"I think this calls for a group hug," Buffy said, starting said hug by wrapping her arms around Willow.

Xander put a hand around Tara and Anya respectively and brought them both in, closing the five of them in a slightly awkward, yet loving embrace. They broke apart a moment later when the bell rang loudly through the corridors. Xander turned to head to Gym class, claiming if he was late one more time he was going to get a detention, while Anya headed to History.

"I'm in Calc," Willow said, shrugging her bag onto her shoulder.

"I know," Tara said and leaned down for a chaste kiss, "Go get your math on."

Willow giggled a little and went towards her math room.

"You're in English, right Tara?" Buffy asked, gathering her books, "I'm in French, same direction."

"Cool," Tara replied, falling into step with the blonde, "Buffy, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure."

"Lunchtime, can you tell Willow that I had to meet with my English teacher so I won't be there?"

"Uh, yeah, of course. Why couldn't you tell her before?"

"Because she'd wonder how I knew he wanted to meet with me before I even went to class. But you can say I caught you after French and let you know."

"Why do I feel like this story is missing a massive chunk?"

Tara sighed and bit her lip.

"I just have to do something. But it's nothing bad, I promise, and she'll worry if I don't show up."

"Alright, Tara, I trust you. But you better not be doing anything that could hurt her. I will whip out my tiny little fists if I have to."

"It's not, Buffy. And I wouldn't. And if I ever do, you have my full support in beating the crap outta me."

Tara stopped outside her classroom and looked at Buffy pleadingly.

"I'll let her know. Good luck with whatever."

"Thank you, Buffy. Thanks so much."

* * *

Tara knocked on the door and waited. She had weighed up the pros and cons of going to see the Rosenbergs by herself and decided it couldn't get much worse in terms of parental relations for her girlfriend, so it couldn't hurt. She also assumed this would be the best, if not one of the only available times, since they seemed to be away almost all the time, but since they'd returned early, she guessed they wouldn't have had a chance to organise anything so soon. She was pulled from her thoughts by the door opening.

Ira looked confused, surprised and somewhat dismayed to see the young brunette standing in his doorway.

"Mr. Rosenberg," Tara greeted in a confident voice.

Above all else, she was not going to let herself feel get any bad feelings about her relationship again.

"Tara, isn't it?" Ira replied, cordially.

He didn't know what the girl was doing here, he assumed that she knew what had been said the evening before, that his daughter had gone to her house when she left.

"That's right, sir. I was wondering if I could speak to you and your wife about Willow? I know you might have nothing to say to me, but I think there's a few things you need to hear."

Ira sighed and stepped to the side. He'd been so shocked to see his little girl in such a compromising position the night before that he felt he'd maybe reacted a bit hastily and certainly harshly, with some of the things he'd said, but his wife had been just as distraught at the revelation, and he had followed her lead.

"Thank you," Tara said, stepping into the house.

She heard the door close behind them and saw Mr. Rosenberg move towards the study at the back of the house, indicating for her to follow.

"Sheila, we have a visitor," he said, entering the study and seeing his wife reading over something.

Sheila looked up and had a confused look on her face. Tara saw the look and stepped forward.

"We haven't met, Mrs. Rosenberg. My name is Tara and I'm your daughter's girlfriend."

She saw anger fill the older woman's eyes at the mention of the word 'girlfriend'. Apparently, Ira did too.

"I think we need to listen to her, dear."

"Oh, very well," Sheila relented, rolling her eyes, "You better take a seat."

Tara sat down on one of the chairs in the room, opposite the elder couple and cleared her throat.

"I know that yesterday came as a shock…to all of us. But you should know that that's not how Willow wanted to come out to you, she was going to sit you down and discuss it."

"Regardless of how she told us, our reaction would have been the same," Sheila remarked.

"With all due respect, ma'am, I think the…situation heightened some emotions slightly. I think you need to reconsider everything's that happened. I am very much in love with your daughter and she loves me back. Neither of us went looking for a relationship, but it found us anyway. And for what it's worth, I'm not a bad kid. I get good grades, I'm in two AP classes, like Willow, and I don't drink or do drugs. I'm doing the SAT in May, like Willow as well and I've got a good relationship with my mother."

Ira smiled a small smile at the brunette, he had liked her the first time they'd met and even with everything else going on, he couldn't help but warm to her now as well. That and the fact that she clearly loved his daughter.

"No father?" Sheila sneered.

"He's not a part of my life, Mrs. Rosenberg but that's his own choice, not mine. Look, I understand if it's gonna take time, if ever, for you to accept me as your daughter's girlfriend…But Willow is exactly that, your daughter…and as strong as she is, that you would just kick her out of the only home she's ever known is killing her."

"Young lady, I don't know who you think you-"

"Oh would you give it a rest, Sheila," Ira exclaimed, "Listen to her. Our child is hurting and what, we don't care? I was there when she cut her knee or fell off her bike, and this is no different."

Sheila, shocked that her husband had stood up to her for the first time in…well, ever, turned and gaped at him.

"You are not suggesting we accept her…lifestyle."

"I'm suggesting we accept our daughter, no matter who that may be. I don't want her to be gay either, to face that kind of discrimination…but that's exactly what we did, we discriminated against our own child. And for what? Because she found love? We should happy it's with such a nice person, not some junkie or-"

"With a girl!" Sheila exclaimed, indignant.

"A girl maybe, but a delightful girl. She could see what we clearly can't, Willow is special and deserves to be treated as such!"

Tara sat in the chair, wide-eyed at the conversation before her and suddenly felt like she was intruding. Not knowing what to do, she just stayed quiet.

Sheila sighed and rolled her eyes once again. She knew her husband was right but refused to acknowledge it. Her and Willow were so different, she knew, the only thing the elder Rosenberg had passed on was her red hair. Without saying another word she stood and left the room, bringing her textbook along with her.

Ira massaged his temples and shook his head. The last time him and his wife had disagreed, or even really talked, about anything was so long ago that it was extremely tiring just doing it. He suddenly remembered Tara was still in the room. He raised his head and looked at her.

"Tara, I am still very conflicted about everything, but I do appreciate you coming here today. You made me realise a lot about my family, and myself, a lot of which I don't like. I can't speak for my wife, and quite frankly I think her actions have spoken for her, but…forcing Willow out of her own home was an appalling action. She is, of course, welcome back."

Tara stood up, surprised at how everything had played out.

"Sir, I think you should maybe tell her that yourself."

Ira nodded in agreement.

"If I collect her from school, could you make sure she's at the entrance? You are in school today?"

"Yes, I'm on lunch right now. And I can definitely make sure she's there," Tara replied.

"Good. Thank you. Do you, um, need a lift back to school?" Ira asked, unsure of what the protocol was for thanking your daughter's secret girlfriend for making him come to his senses.

"Oh, not necessary. I have a car. But thank you."

"Okay then. I'll walk you to the door."

Tara nodded and they both made their way to the front door in silence. Ira held it open.

"Thank you, Tara. If my daughter has to be in love with a girl, I'm glad it's you," he said as Tara walked through.

Tara seemed genuinely pleased at the kind-of compliment and smiled one last time in thanks before walking down the driveway, getting into Alexis and driving back to school.

Ira watched her drive away, then turned back into the house. He was going to talk to his wife and he was not looking forward to it.

"Stupid English teacher, taking away from my Tara-time," Willow pouted as Tara walked her to her locker.

For fear that the Rosenbergs wouldn't actually show up after school, she had kept up the pretence that she had been meeting her teacher at lunch, meaning this was the first time they'd seen each other since that morning, Willow gathering her books, ready to leave school.

"You're being all quiet, are you okay?" the redhead continued.

"I'm fine. You ready?" Tara replied with a smile.

"Yeah."

They walked towards the carpark, Willow getting confused when they veered slightly to the entrance of the school.

"Where are we going?" she asked, perplexed.

"I just want to check something."

"Tara, what are you…" Willow trailed off as she saw her father standing there, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand, "What?!"

Tara gave the man a small wave and turned to her girlfriend.

"You need to go. You guys should talk. Call me later."


	23. Chapter 23

Tara was flicking through her social studies textbook when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in," she said, not looking up from her book, assuming it was her mother since no one else was in the house.

"You are the best girlfriend in the entire world," Willow squealed as she ran over and jumped on top of the brunette.

Tara was pushed back on the bed when the redhead jumped on her and giggled as kisses started to be placed all over her face.

"What'd I do?" she asked through giggles.

"What did you do? What did you do?" Willow asked in disbelief, pulling back, "Tara, my father told me he loved me for the first time since my Bat Mitzvah and it's completely thanks to you."

"But I didn't-"

"Dad told me about your lunch time visit, Ms. I Had To See My Teacher."

"Oh. Sorry I lied to you," Tara replied in an apologetic tone.

"Baby…what you did for me…Dad said you were confident and well spoken and that he'd never felt more ashamed of himself for what he said before."

"What about your Mom?"

"Mom was…Mom. She didn't say much but it's better than telling me I disgust her. I know their still not comfortable with everything and wish that things are different, but…I mean, I have a home again, y'know? They took me out to dinner and everything, like we all ate together. We haven't done that in ages. And we talked, like proper talking, with no yelling. Well, me and Dad anyway, but that's good enough."

"You're not with them now?"

"Oh, you know, things may be better but I don't think any of us want to push too far. We'd just be sitting around the living room in silence or something and it'd be awkward. Besides, I had to come over here to collect my bag…and thank you," Willow responded, saying the last bit with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Tara saw the waggle and a broad grin broke out on her face.

"You don't have to thank me for anything, you know…"

"Well then can we make love just 'cause I'm so damn hot for you?"

"How can I say no to that face? Or those lips…"

Tara's gaze drifted to said lips until she felt them against her own. She smiled into the kiss and ran her hands up and down Willow's back, through the fabric of her t-shirt. Her hand movements eventually made the t-shirt begin to ride up and Tara's hands met skin. The redhead moaned and pulled back.

"Hey, we're not gonna get walked in on in here too, are we?" she asked, looking over her shoulder.

Tara looked at the door and then back at Willow.

"I'll lock it," she said, slipping out from under the smaller girl and going to the door. She flicked the lock, then glanced over at her stereo, "And I'll put on some music…drown out any…other sounds."

"Ooh, good idea, baby," Willow replied, kicking her shoes off the end of the bed and propping herself up on one elbow so she could watch the brunette.

Tara put on a CD of easy listening music and turned, seeing that the redhead was watching her. She decided to take full advantage of that fact. She brought a hand down to the bottom of her shirt and slowly started undoing the buttons, one at a time, moving upward, watching Willow the entire time. She had to stifle a laugh when she saw comprehension of what she was doing cross the girl's features.

Willow watched her girlfriend start to take her blouse off, moving softly to the music.

_She looks so good… swaying like that… curvy and beautiful… hey… oh my god. Is she…? She's stripping! She's like, totally doing a strip-tease. Oh that is sooo hot… mmhh… I can see her stomach…Tara-tummy, yum._

Willow licked her lips as Tara undid the final button and shrugged her shoulders so the garment fell to the floor behind her. The brunette ran her own hands down her sides and to the top of her cargo pants. She pulled at the string to undo it and placed two fingers at the button, popping it in one fluid motion before slowly lowering her zipper. She grabbed the fabric either side of her hips and just held it for a moment.

"Tara!" Willow whined when she saw a still in her movements, "Keep going!"

Tara smiled a sultry half-smile in response and started dragging the material down her legs until she was left in just her underwear.

"You look yummy…" Willow said, looking her up and down, "Bra next."

"Oh, I'm taking requests now, am I?" Tara smirked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Yep. Audience participation. Makes for a much livelier show."

Tara smirked again and undid the front clasp of her bra, letting the fabric just hang there for a minute as she heard Willow gasp a little in anticipation. She pulled back the material and let it fall down her arms until she was completely topless. Willow bit her lip in excitement as her girlfriend's breasts came into view and she couldn't just lie there any longer. She jumped up and kneeled in front of the brunette.

"I'm gonna get rid of these obstructive panties, okay?" she asked, looking up.

"Most definitely okay with me," Tara nodded down at her.

She could feel her arousal swiftly pooling below her stomach and had to resist squeezing her legs together to give herself some relief. To her surprise, it wasn't the redhead's fingers that grabbed onto the fabric of her panties, but her teeth, before she yanked them down to Tara's knees.

The brunette shook them down to her ankles and stepped out of them before pulling Willow up into a kiss.

"Far…too…many…clothes," she said between kisses and went about pulling off the redhead's t-shirt.

Willow lifted her arms up to aid in the divesting of her top and found it quickly pulled over her head, before nimble fingers were working on the hook of her bra, which was on the floor just moments later. She felt her jeans pool around her ankles and stepped out of them, marvelling at how fast Tara seemed to be able to get her undressed, especially considering the only break they'd had in their kiss was for a micro-second when her t-shirt was coming off.

Tara started walking them back towards the bed. Willow let herself fall back onto it and the brunette took the opportunity to pull the redhead's panties down her legs, before throwing them over her shoulder and lying down on top of her girlfriend, sighing at the contact. She cupped the smaller girl's cheeks and leaned down to resume their kiss as they both began moving against each other.

Willow brought her hands between their bodies so she could massage the brunette's breasts, pinching her nipples occasionally as the kiss got more and more heated. Their legs naturally entangled themselves in each other, rubbing wet centres against thighs to get some friction. In their ministrations, neither noticed that they had moved more on their sides, with Willow half-on-top. As the redhead felt both of them get more and more aroused, she pulled away from the kiss.

"Can we try something?" she asked, then went back for another kiss.

"You going kinky on me?" Tara replied, their lips meeting again.

"No, no…"

"I'll do whatever you want, love," Tara said with a smirk, "Unless it involves whips. I might have to think about that for a little while."

"No whips. Just you and me," Willow replied with a shy smile.

"You and me sounds good. What'd you wanna do?"

"Um…it goes between 68 and 70…" Willow trailed off, blushing.

"Ah," Tara replied, feeling her arousal heighten at the suggestion. She leaned over so she could whisper in the redhead's ear, "You want us to eat each other out?"

"God yes," Willow groaned and pulled Tara in for another steamy kiss, "You're on top."

"You like me on top?" Tara smirked, between kisses.

"Like you anywhere. But you're taller. Logistics."

"Logistics, of course."

Tara leaned in for another kiss before rolling them over and holding herself up on her forearms.

"I love you," she said quietly.

"Love you too."

Their lips met one last time before Tara turned herself around, making sure her head and centre were in the correct positions. She felt Willow's hands wrap around her side and cup her ass, and lowered her own head in anticipation of being brought down.

She used her tongue to part the redhead's lips and let it glide into the wetness and heard a soft gasp before feeling her girlfriend's tongue begin to explore her own centre.

She moaned at the exquisite sensation of tasting and being tasted and felt Willow shudder beneath her as the moan reverberated right through her clit. The brunette decided to play with the younger girl's bundle of nerves, flicking over it as she felt Willow begin to enter her in slow, teasing strokes.

As the strokes started to get faster and more forceful, going in deeper and deeper, Tara began a light sucking motion, gradually getting faster and faster, trying to copy the tempo the redhead had set with her.

Willow darted her tongue in and out in firm, fast strokes for another few minutes as she felt Tara sucking on her clit, before languidly licking the length of her centre, arriving at her girlfriend's bundle of nerves. She circled it a few time, knowing, even though it had only been a few nights since they'd made love for the first time, that the brunette like to be teased a little before she was brought to the edge.

Tara had to force herself to concentrate on continuing her ministrations when she felt Willow gently tease her clit before sucking it into her mouth. She'd been brought up by the steady thrusting action and the attention to her bundle of nerves was quickly bringing her closer and closer to her peak. Wanting her girlfriend to be at the same place, she started nibbling on the throbbing nub in her mouth, feeling the redhead's thighs start to twitch either side of her as she did so.

Just moments later she felt Willow dig into the flesh of her ass and significantly increase the pace of her sucking as she began to shudder beneath her. The combined feeling of extra pressure on her hard nub and knowledge that her girlfriend was coming as well, made Tara reach her own peak and only the fact that her mouth was otherwise engaged stopped her from screaming out loud in pleasure.

Willow felt her toes curl as she started to come and opened her mouth wide in delight as she felt Tara coming at almost the exact same moment, accepting the now freely-flowing juices greedily. A few minutes later she felt Tara roll off of her and heard her take a few deep breaths. Not able to move yet, she reached down and entwined their hands, wanting some contact since they were lying head-to-toe.

Tara smiled as she felt their hands interlock and took another deep breath before slowly lifting herself up and falling back down on the bed, her head beside her girlfriend's this time.

"How did you even move?" Willow asked, a giddy smile on her face as she turned her head to see the brunette.

"Didn't. I… fell. Needed a kiss," Tara responded, matching the grin on the redhead's face.

"That I can do," Willow replied, leaning forward slightly so their lips could meet.

They kissed for a few minutes, tasting themselves on each other until a beeping of the clock on Tara's bedside locker indicated the turn of the hour.

"Stupid time," Willow grumbled.

"You have to get back?"

"Yeah. Can cuddle for another few minutes though. I still can't move anyway. That was incredible. So my new favourite position," Willow grinned.

"We've got plenty more to try too," Tara replied with a grin as well.

They stayed cuddling and kissing for another few minutes until Willow proclaimed that she really did have to get home and got up from the bed.

"Wanna see a movie or something this weekend?" she asked as she gathered her clothes, "You know, make an effort outside of the bedroom."

"Sure. We can see what's on later in the week," Tara replied from her position on the bed.

"Great. Um, Tare? Where'd you throw my panties?"


	24. Chapter 24

"Guys, guys, guess what!?" Willow asked excitedly as she ran towards the lunch table that everyone else was sitting at.

"Whoa, Will, did you OD on the mocha's again?" Xander asked, eating a muffin.

"Yeah, Willow, why the jumpiness?" Buffy spoke up.

Willow slid in beside Tara at the table and stole one of her potato chips from the bag in front of the brunette. Tara quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Girlfriend privileges," Willow said with a 'duh' expression on her face.

"Hey, that means I get Xander's food too," Anya said with a pleased smile and grabbed her boyfriend's muffin from his hands.

Xander looked between his empty hands and the muffin for a minute before sighing in defeat.

"Thanks for that, Willow," he scowled.

"No problem," Willow replied, still perky.

"So tell us your news…" Tara said, handing the entire bag of chips over.

Willow happily started eating, talking through bites.

"So Snyder comes up to me after English and like asks me to come to his office and I'm like, uh oh, what the hell did I do? So I follow him and sit down and everything and he's like, so, our computer teacher is going away on maternity leave and we can't find anyone to replace her. So he asks me! I get to teach a class! To students!"

"Honey, that's fantastic!" Tara said, wrapping her arms around the redhead.

In the month since Willow's distressing/accidental coming out to her parents and the subsequent rekindling of a semblance of a relationship with her parents, or father at least, the redhead had been happier than ever.

As well as her and Tara getting to be alone together as much as they could and getting to hang out with her friends, generally just laughing together, she had also been progressing through the ranks of the all-state debate competition and had gotten into the final, which was scheduled for three months away, in May, so she still had time to prepare.

Tara had dutifully been to every single debate since that first one in October and was full of pride that her girlfriend was going into the final. She had no doubt she'd wipe the competition away there.

"Way to go, my little redheaded friend," Xander piped up, "Does this mean you can give detentions?"

"Uh…I dunno. I'll ask. But even if I can't, I still get to teach!"

"I hope they're paying you," Anya remarked.

"Yeah, Will, what's the cash-flow like?" Buffy asked.

"Um, it'll count for college credits. And like, experience. Plus, I get out of Gym."

"You're leaving me on my own with White?" Tara pouted; not really seriously, she was delighted her girlfriend had made such an achievement.

"Sorry, baby," Willow replied, genuinely apologetic.

"Don't be. I'm so proud of you."

Willow grinned and leaned over for a chaste kiss.

"I start on Tuesday. I'm so excited," she continued gushing to the gang.

Tara smiled and listened to her girlfriend as the beginning of an idea started to form in her head.

* * *

Tara looked through the doorway of the computer room and smiled when she saw Willow sitting behind a desk, flicking through a notebook. The redhead had called her up in a panic the night before, saying she had nothing 'teachery' to wear.

A quick consultation between both theirs and Buffy's wardrobe had resulted in the outfit she was currently wearing, her own black pants that fit her perfectly, a simple white blouse of Tara's and a black vest shirt of Buffy's that all combined made, what Tara thought, a very hot pants suit that Willow was totally rocking.

She saw a few students start to mill into the classroom and followed in herself, taking a seat at the very back of the room. She knew this was Willow's very first class and she also knew that the smaller girl had no idea that she was in the class.

She'd gone to the school counsellor when the redhead had told everyone that she would be teaching and requested to be transferred to 'Computers for Beginners', the class she was teaching, insisting that she'd need the skills for any career she choose. The counsellor had agreed to the transfer and Tara had jumped for joy that not only would she get to be taught by Willow, but she too would be getting out of Gym, something she was very pleased about.

Just as she was thinking about how she'd _somehow _have to find a way to get exercise outside of Gym class now and the various scenarios involving her and Willow, very sweaty and very naked ran through her mind, she heard her girlfriend speak.

"Uh, Hi. I'm Willow Rosenberg. You can call me Willow; I'm taking over for Ms. Calendar, she's gone off to have a baby, so I'll be here until the end of the year. Obviously, I'm a student, but I can still give detentions. I really don't want to though, mostly I'm just gonna set out the work that Ms. Calendar has left and if anyone needs any help, they can ask me. So for today, we're working on Excel, basic spreadsheets and stuff. I'm gonna hand out a sheet with some figures and just see if you can input them and follow the instructions for automatic calculations. That okay with everyone?"

There was a general grumble that Willow assumed meant 'yes' and she started handing out the sheets, happy that, so far, no one was giving her a hard time. She walked around the classroom until she came to the last row and as she moved inwards, a familiar scent caught in her nostrils.

_I smell Tara. That vanilla-y smell with her perfume and just…her. _

She looked up and the next desk and her eyes widened as she saw that it was in fact, Tara that was sitting there. She bent down slightly so it would seem like she was helping the brunette with something.

"What're you doing here?" she whispered in surprise.

"I got myself transferred," Tara whispered back, "Wanted to see your skills in action…uh, teaching action."

"You are the sweetest…" Willow started, then smirked, "See me after class."

She straightened up as Tara bit back a giggle and moved back towards her desk, needing to get up only once to help a student called Melvyn, who was having difficulty actually turning on the machine. Tara, who actually knew how all the tasks set out on the sheet already and didn't need any lessons in the basic operating of a computer anyway, watched her girlfriend patiently explain to the short, sandy-haired boy how to do everything, smiling at him when he got something right.

By the end of class, Melvyn seemed quite pleased with himself, and to Tara's displeasure seemed to be quite pleased with Willow too. She watched him watch her girlfriend as she made her way back to her desk and scowled when she saw him give a dreamy sigh when she bent over.

_Alright, dude, cool your jets. She's mine. _

The bell rang signalling the end of class and Tara hung back, remembering Willow asking to see her after. She frowned when she saw Melvyn walk towards her.

"Hey…you're friends with Willow, right?" he asked pleasantly.

"Yeah. Good friends. Great friends. Actually, girl-" Tara was cut off by the boy speaking again.

"Cool. So you'd know if she'd like me, right?"

Normally Tara might feel sorry for the oblivious boy, but she'd seen him checking out her girl, so she had no sympathy for him.

"She's seeing someone," she said, hoping that would deter him.

"Oh. Well, that's okay…I can win her over. I know she likes me, I could see it when she smiled at me."

"Listen, buddy, that is my girl you're talking about and if you even think for a second that I'm gonna lose her to anyone, you've got another think coming."

"I-I didn't know," Melvyn spluttered out then went to run out of the classroom, mumbling 'sorry'.

Tara trudged down to the end of the classroom and perched herself on the edge of Willow's desk, looking angry.

Willow was about to start speaking about how happy she was that her first class had gone when she saw the scowl on her girlfriend's face.

"Honey, what's wrong?" she asked, leaving her papers and going to stand in front of the brunette, resting her hands on the taller girl's knees.

"Melvyn," Tara spat out.

"Uh, the kid I had to help? What about him?"

"He asked me if you could like him. And I tried to tell him that you were very much taken but he kept interrupting me and then he said he would win you anyway and I saw him looking at your butt and I'm the only one allowed to look at your butt and if that's really possessive and wrong well then…then I don't want to be right, okay?"

"You're jealous…" Willow accused in a playful tone.

"No I'm not," Tara scoffed, then bit her lip, "Well maybe a little, but he sighed and had this like, faraway look in his eye when I saw him checking you out. Like he was imagining you naked. I know, 'cause it's the same look I get."

"Well, think of it like this…you're the only one who actually _gets _to see me naked."

Tara contemplated this and sighed, realising how adolescent she must have sounded.

"Well that's true…" she relented, giving Willow a sheepish smile.

"I love you and only you, Tara. And besides, baby. I am really, really gay. Like super gay. You shouldn't be worried about guys," Willow said, giving the brunette a playful pinch on the nose.

"You saying I need to be worried about girls?"

"Nope. Only one girl for me. But, uh, you might wanna keep a tight hold on me if Angelina Jolie ever enrols in Sunnydale High."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tara smirked, "So…my Mom's away at a banking conference in Washington the next couple of days…you wanna stay over tonight?"

"You betcha," Willow eagerly nodded, "I have debate practice after school, so I'll just run home and get a bag after, then come over, yeah?"

"No," Tara shook her head. An image had been forming in her head for the past day or so and she saw this as the perfect opportunity to let it play out, "Come straight from debate. You have a few clothes at mine, you can just use those for tomorrow."

"But what about pyjamas?"

"Will," Tara started, quirking an eyebrow, "I have no intention of you wearing any clothes to bed."

"Oh," Willow replied, blushing, "Well that sounds good too."

"Good. I'll leave the front door open, so you can just come right in, okay?"

"Uh, sure."

_Why does she want me to just walk in? Oh well, I'm sure she has her reasons. _

Tara smiled and jumped off the desk as she saw a few students start to come in for the next class. She was grateful she had a free period so she knew she wouldn't be late for anything, but didn't want to hold her girlfriend up either.

"Oh and Will? Come dressed exactly as you are."


	25. Chapter 25

Tara fastened the tie around her neck and let it hang loosely down her shirt and checked herself in the mirror again. Her tight-fitting white shirt, that actually hadn't been part of her old school uniform, but she felt worked better in this situation, had the top two buttons open, letting the top of her cleavage peek out, the shirt tight enough for her not to need to wear a bra.

The blue and white striped tie hung straight down over the swell of her breasts, stopping almost at the exact same place her shirt did, showing an inch of flesh between the hem and the start of her skirt, also striped blue and white and extending just to her mid-thigh. The skirt had been short anyway, but Tara had hitched it up a bit in order to show more skin. She had knee-length white cotton socks to complete her outfit.

She checked her watch again and saw that Willow would have gotten out of practice already and would probably be on her way over. She readjusted her shirt one last time, exposing more cleavage in the process. Satisfied with how everything fit, she went over and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning back slightly, putting her weight on her outstretched arms and crossing one leg over the other, waiting for the redhead to arrive.

_I really hope she likes this. I'm really glad I kept this uniform…never really thought this is what I'd be using it for…God, what if she thinks this is too slutty? Is it weird that I'm dressing up as a schoolgirl when I'm actually still in school? Maybe I should just take this off quickly…she'd be just as happy if she walked in and I was naked. No, I started this, I should see it through…did I just hear the door bang? _

Willow closed the door behind her and turned down the corridor, seeing that her girlfriend's bedroom door was open. She walked up and was about to knock on the open door, just to make known her presence known but stopped in her tracks and stared, wide-eyed when she saw what her girlfriend was wearing.

"Ms. Rosenberg," Tara purred. From the look on the redhead's face, she was definitely not put off by the idea and that just encouraged the brunette, "It is 'Miss', isn't it?"

Willow gulped as the reality of what was going on started to fall into place for her. She looked down at her own attire, remembering Tara specifically telling her to stay in her 'teacher clothes' and now knew why. She could feel wetness begin to pool below her stomach already, just at the evocative way Tara was presenting herself and the tone in her voice. She exhaled a quiet breath and smirked, deciding to play her teacher role as well.

"Yes, Tara, 'Miss' is correct," she said, walking into the room and kicking the door closed behind her, "I'm not married."

"I'm surprised, Miss. You're very pretty," Tara replied and uncrossed her legs, letting them hang open for a minute, showing the redhead exactly what she was or rather _wasn't _wearing underneath her skirt, before crossing them over the other side.

Willow felt her breath quicken as she saw the brief glimpse of her girlfriend's exposed centre, but stayed in character.

"Now, Tara, you should know that panties are part of the required uniform. Regulations say that if I suspect our uniform code is not being held up, I have to confirm and…discipline as necessary."

Tara tried to look innocent as she stood up, a foot away from the redhead.

"I very well could be wearing panties, Miss," she replied cheekily, "You'll have to prove otherwise."

"Cheek will not be tolerated," Willow said sternly, but Tara could see the glint in her eye, "We'll deal with that misconduct after I address the issue at hand. You'll have to drop your skirt for inspection."

"Yes, Miss," Tara replied with a suitably chastised tone and popped the button on the side of her skirt, pulling the fabric over the swell of her ass before letting it fall to floor.

"Tsk tsk," Willow clicked her tongue, but couldn't control the subconscious licking of her lips as her girlfriend's curls came into view, "No panties."

The redhead walked over and held onto the taller girl's hips, before letting her hands wander behind, cupping her ass. She let her hands fall to the side and looked the taller girl in the eye.

"Had to check that there definitely wasn't any underwear," she explained in what she knew was a poor excuse, but she didn't care; it let her touch Tara while still playing their game, "I'll also have to ensure that that was the only uniform breach. Obviously your punishment would vary should you have neglected to wear anything else as well…like your bra."

"Oh, I'm wearing a bra, Miss, I promise," Tara said in a sweet-as-pie voice. She was delighted that Willow seemed to be so into their game and wanted to play her part as well she could.

"You know the rules, Tara, I have to check. Please remove your shirt," Willow replied in her firm voice. She knew Tara wasn't wearing a bra already from the way her nipples were poking out through the fabric of her shirt and was looking forward to the reveal.

"Yes, Miss," Tara sighed in the same chastised tone and started unbuttoning her shirt, moving downwards until there were none left. She held the shirt closed, in an attempt to convey nervousness about having broken the 'rules'.

"Tara…" Willow said in a warning tone.

Tara sighed again and let go of the fabric, letting it fall down her shoulders so she was standing in nothing but the tie and socks.

"You have a very beautiful, body, Tara," Willow said as she roamed her eyes up and down the brunette's body.

"Thank you, Miss," Tara replied, a slight shake in her voice.

"But that's two dress infringements we've discovered…"

"I'm sorry, Miss."

Willow brought a hand forward and dipped one finger into the brunette's wetness, twirled it for a second and brought the finger between their two faces.

"I can see you're extremely wet, Tara. Do you know what's causing that?"

"You, Miss," Tara replied breathlessly.

"Me? Well, do you know how to stop this…overflow?"

"Need to be filled, Miss."

"Well, since I apparently caused this, I better help fix it," Willow responded and walked backwards to the corner of the room where the brunette had an armchair.

She sat in the chair and beckoned Tara over to her. She pulled the taller girl onto the seat with her, so that the older girl's knees were either side of Willow's legs, making her open for the redhead to touch her, as well as the position putting the smaller girl's head right in front her girlfriend's breasts. Tara was breathing heavily in anticipation of what was going to happen. She let her hands hang by her side and waited for Willow to act. 

Willow brought one hand around to cup Tara's ass while the other let two fingers glide into her wetness, rubbing over her lover's hard nub lightly.

"You know you should've been wearing the proper school attire, right Tara?" Willow said as she brought the two fingers down and thrust them inside.

"Ohhh yes Miss," Tara moaned in response, both in answer to the question and in approval of where her girlfriend's fingers were. She started moving against them, taking as much as she could.

"You still need to be punished for your misbehaviour," Willow continued, starting to rub the flesh of Tara's ass with the hand there.

Tara nodded, moving faster against the fingers inside her and lifted her hands to grab onto the redhead's shoulders. She let out a long groan when she felt Willow's hand pull away from her ass then come back in a firm slap.

"Is that okay?" Willow said quietly, not sure if she'd gone too far.

"So fucking good," Tara whispered, her eyes shut tight, then added, "Miss."

Willow was relieved when she heard Tara call her by the title again and started thrusting deeper inside and her other hand fondled her butt cheeks before giving her a couple more slaps.

"You won't do it again, will you Tara?" she asked in her most authoritative voice.

"No, Miss, no," Tara rasped out, her nails digging into the flesh of the smaller girl's shoulders.

"Good girl," Willow replied, giving her a final hard smack that made the brunette throw her head back in ecstasy.

Willow watched Tara's breasts jumping up and down right in front of her face, her tie lying straight down between them, the small piece of material making her nakedness all the more apparent and brought her thumb up to put some pressure on the girl's clit.

"Yes, yes, yes," Tara chanted under her breath as she felt the redhead stroke her bundle of nerves.

She was getting closer and closer with each flick against her hard nub and bit her lip to try and focus on actually getting there.

Willow watched in awe as she saw the telltale signs of her girlfriend's orgasm, the light flush that spread onto her chest, the slight hitch in her breath and the fact that her fingers were being squeezed so tight by the brunette's inner walls that she thought they could actually break.

Tara stopped biting her lip when she felt herself about to crash and let out a long, throaty moan when she finally went over, colours flying behind her eyelids as her back arched and her nails dug even deeper into the redhead's shoulders.

Willow slowed her thrusts little by little as Tara continued moaning above her, until the tight grip on her shoulders loosened and the brunette collapsed into her, breathing heavily. The redhead pulled out slowly and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend, holding her.

After a few minutes, Tara pulled her head back from where it had been resting in Willow's neck and shuffled over slightly so she was sitting in the chair too, her arms draped over the younger girl's neck.

"Mmmm, thank you, Miss Rosenberg," she said lazily.

"You're welcome, Tara," Willow replied, a glint in her eye.

They stayed cuddling in silence for a few more minutes until Willow spoke again.

"We still have to deal with the small matter of your… impertinence earlier."

"Ohh, am I getting spanked again?" Tara asked, delighted their game was still going on; playing so far had been more fun that she'd even imagined, "Do you want me to bend over your desk, Miss?"

"That would teach you to be cheeky…" Willow replied, seeming to mull over the idea, "But, no, I've got a better punishment. I want you to write lines."

"Oh," Tara said, surprised, then reached over to her windowsill, grabbing a pen, "Yes Miss?"

"Oh you won't need this," Willow responded, taking the pen and throwing it on the floor, "Your pen can be your tongue."

"My tongue, Miss?"

"Yes Tara, and your paper can be…" Willow started, standing up from their embrace and popping the button her pants, dragging them and her panties down in one fluid motion, before backing herself onto the bed and spreading her legs wide, brazenly exposing herself for her lover, "Me."

Tara jumped up and ran over to the bed, lying down with her head above her girlfriend's exposed centre.

"What would you like me to write, Miss?"

Willow scrunched her nose up in thought, then propped herself up on her elbows so she could look down at the brunette.

"I will not be cheeky or my own cheeks will be reddened."

Tara blushed and nodded her head.

"Twenty times," Willow continued, "If you finish that amount and feel like writing it some more, feel free to do so."

"Yes, Miss," Tara said before lowering her head and finding her girlfriend's clit, making a pointed effort to 'write' that exact sentence around and on the bundle of nerves.

Willow moaned when she felt the brunette start to trace on her clit, and found herself getting even more aroused at knowing that her lover would be spelling out the words she'd requested, not that she could differentiate from the strokes, but more just from knowing her girlfriend, knowing that she'd be playing along with their game in it's entirety.

"You're doing very good, Tara," Willow said as she reached a hand down to entwine in her girl's hair, "So good."

Tara continued her motions, counting how many times she had traced the sentence diligently. Just as she was about to start the word 'reddened' for the fourteenth time, she heard Willow speak again.

"Ugh…Uh, Tara…" the redhead started, trying to think of any reasoning to get the brunette to do what she wanted, "You swore earlier! Naughty girl…if you…oh god… feel around inside and find… a particularly special place… I can let the… indiscretion… slide."

Tara understood and brought her hand up to the smaller girl's entrance, probing with one finger for a moment before plunging in with three, reaching for said 'special place'. She got there just a couple of seconds later and felt Willow push even harder on her head.

"Oh yes, Tara, yes."

It didn't take long for Willow to get to the edge, the joint stimulation on both of her most sensitive places driving her into a frenzy.

"That's it, Tara, just like that. Just like that. Oh! I think I'm…! Oh yes!"

Her entire body grew taut as she came, one hand still holding onto Tara's head as the other reached out to grab onto anything, the corner of the brunette's bedside locker happened to be the first thing she latched onto.

"Ta…ra…Tara…TARA!"

She thrashed under the brunette for a few moments, unintentionally pulling Tara's hair so hard that the taller girl had to actually struggle to keep her head where it was needed. When she finally eased her hold and fell back on the bed, spent and still twitching, she realised she had a couple of stray brunette hairs in her hand and panicked. Tara, who was enjoying the rewards of the work she put in by continuing to lap at her girlfriend's center, didn't notice the redhead's alarm until she started speaking.

"Oh baby, I'm so sorry, are you okay? I'm so sorry, so sorry."

Tara raised her head and saw the frightened look on Willow's face. She went to lie next to her and wiped her mouth before fixing the smaller girl with a curious look.

"Honey, what the hell are you taking about? You gave me an earth-shattering orgasm then I got to go down on you, I would call that a very good afternoon in my book. Was it the spanking? 'Cause if it was, don't be sorry, I liked it. A lot."

"No, baby, I know you liked that, you were all moan-y and stuff," she paused as she saw Tara blush, "But I pulled your hair. Like I actually pulled some hair out."

She held up the few errant hairs to demonstrate.

"Oh," Tara said, amused, "I didn't even feel it. Besides, I like it when you hold me to you when you come."

It was Willow who blushed this time, but was happy that they could be so open with each other.

"You sure you're okay?" she asked again, just to be sure.

"Definitely. Sweetie, I'll tell you if something's ever wrong okay? And you will too, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. Now I wanna hold you."

"Sounds good," Willow replied, then sat up whipping off her vest shirt and blouse and unhooking her bra so she was naked, then snuggled into Tara's outstretched arms, their faces together, "That was so…just amazing. You dressing up and everything."

"Fun?"

"Whole helluva."

"Good. You looked so hot when you were teaching in class today that I just had to try it."

"I'm just glad you kept that uniform…" Willow said, waggling her eyebrows.

Tara smirked and ran her fingers along the blue material of her tie.

"You know, I bet this is exactly what the nuns at my school had in mind when they choose these."


	26. Chapter 26

"Hey Tara," Xander greeted the brunette, sitting beside her in the library.

"Hey Xander," Tara said back, looking up with a smile, "Free period too?

"Yep. Social studies teacher left the room for coffee and never came back. It's a shame, really, I could've used the catch-up on sleep."

"If you wanna sleep here, I'll make sure one of my books covers you," Tara chuckled, "Librarian will never know."

"Thanks for the assist, but, uh, do you think you could maybe help me with some English?" Xander asked with puppy dog eyes and a sheepish smile.

"Did you and Willow practice those eyes when you were growing up?"

"Yes. In between making mud pies and falling off of trees."

"Of course I'll help Xand," Tara chuckled again, "What's causing you problems?"

"All this…punctuation stuff. Colons, semicolons, commas, ellipses… isn't that that thing that happens in the with the moon and sun and…stuff?"

Tara pushed her books to the side and took out a piece of paper from her notebook with a pen.

"Okay, first off, that's an _eclipse_, when the moon passes between the sun and the earth, blocking the sun or the moon passes behind the Earth, blocking the sun's rays from the moon."

"Ohh…that does make more sense."

"So as for your English stuff…here, lets write a few examples, okay?"

"Sounds good."

"Okay, so first off, commas. Commas have a lot of uses, but mainly it's for separating a sentence or items in a list," Tara started, then began writing the sentence as she spoke it out loud, "I like cookies, doughnuts, candy and popcorn."

Xander nodded in understanding, so Tara continued.

"Colons. You use those to explain or like, give details of something you've just said. For example, I like food: cookies, doughnuts, candy and popcorn especially. Semicolons. They're used for breaks in sentences or lists…or if you're combining two joining sentences… like: I tried to buy food today; the market was closed."

"If my teacher used these food examples I think I would've gotten this a lot sooner," Xander said, surprised that he actually understood what the brunette was saying, "What about those ellipses?"

"Oh those are easy. They're just three full stops in a row…sometimes they're in different forms, but rarely so we'll just stick with the periods. It shows if you've intentionally left a word or phrase out, like if you're quoting something and you want just the first and last part of the quote. And if you're writing in speech, it shows an unfinished thought or if someone trails off. Like… 'Xander looked through the shop window at the variety of food available. "Cookies…doughnuts…candy…popcorn…" he trailed off as he sighed dreamily, "How will I ever choose?"' See how they work?"

"I actually do…Wow, thanks Tara! Can I keep this sheet? To like… reference if I need to?"

"Of course."

"Hey maybe if we have another free class together sometime you could teach me about apostrophes? I feel like they'd take longer than the time we have left."

Tara laughed.

"You're probably right. If you ever need help though, just ask. Unless it's math, then Willow's your girl. She's raised me from a D to a B since I've been here."

"Ah, I've given up on math. Far too many…numbers," he shuddered as he thought of it and Tara grinned, "But thanks for helping with this. I could maybe even write a semi-legible essay if I have to now. You want to be an English teacher, right?"

"Uh, yeah, I mean, hopefully."

"Well I think you'll be great. And I can be like 'I was her first student.'"

"You were a very good first student. Thank you, Xander."

Xander gave her a goofy smile just as the bell rang. They both jumped up from their seats, Tara accidentally knocking her open bag open in the process. Some of the contents from the front pocket spilled out and she sighed as she bent down to pick them up. Xander bent down too, helping her. Tara gathered her calculator and a couple of her notebooks while

Xander picked up her pencil case and a small box. He was just about to hand when he noticed the wording on the box and did a double take. He quickly shoved both items into Tara's bag and stood up.

"So thanks again, Tara," he rambled on in a quick pace, "Have to go now. Impress English teacher with newfound knowledge and all. Um, bye."

He turned and ran out of the large room before Tara even had a chance to react. The brunette shook her head and closed up her bag, getting ready to go on to her own next class, one thought lingering in her mind.

_That was weird._

* * *

"Then he just ran out," Tara finished her story to Willow, telling her about helping Xander earlier on.

They wee walking from Biology to the quad for lunch, the April sun shining down on them and causing a glare to reflect against some of the windows.

Willow was still teaching her computer class, Tara was still attending and they were both working towards the SATs which they were sitting in two and a half weeks time, on May 1st. Willow had her debate finals two weeks after that and had been gathering information on the topic, censorship in schools, for the past month or so. She was planning to get her speech written and composed as best she could when the SATs were over, not wanting to overload her schedule too much.

All in all, it made for quite a busy calendar for both girls and they were looking forward to getting the last six weeks of school over with so they could relax with each other for the summer.

"That is kinda weird. Maybe he remembered that he'd forgotten to do some homework for his next class or something," Willow replied, shuffling the books in her hand.

"Yeah, I guess," Tara said, taking at seat at their regular lunch table. Buffy was already sitting there, eating a banana, "Hey Buffy."

"Hi Buff," Willow greeted, sitting beside her girlfriend.

"How's my favourite lady couple today?" Buffy asked with a smile, taking another bite of her fruit.

"Good thanks. How're you doing?" The redhead asked.

"I got a B+ on that social studies paper I handed in. You know the one on the Women's Suffrage Movement? I reckon that'll be worth a new pair of boots from Mom."

"That is exactly what those first-wave feminists had in mind at the time. Seventeen year olds writing papers on them for the purpose of acquiring new shoes," Willow teased.

Buffy was stopped from responding as Xander and Anya choose that moment to arrive at the table. Anya sat down while Xander stayed standing, looking unusually jumpy.

"Um, Will, can I talk to you?" he asked, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Uh, yeah, go ahead."

"I meant, you know, more in private."

"Ah, sure," Willow said standing up and giving him a strange look, "Lead the way."

They walked off in the distance a little, standing under a tree.

"What the hell is that all about?" Buffy asked as she watched them leave.

"No idea," Anya replied, "Xander was acting weird since after class and kept running his hand through his hair, all nervous like."

"He was kinda strange earlier too," Tara interjected, "We were in the library together and he was fine one minute and all avoidy the next."

Anya shrugged and all three girl's eyes widened as they saw Willow lift up her hand and slap Xander across the face.

"Um, why did your girlfriend just slap my boyfriend?" Anya asked Tara, still staring as Willow started to walk back towards them.

"I don't know," Tara replied, shocked, "That's not like her at all."

Willow stormed back over to the table and locked eyes with Tara.

"Can you take me outta here please?"

"Uh, sure," Tara said, jumping up, "Let's go to Alexis."

The couple walked off, Tara looking back over her shoulder to give the other two an 'I have no idea what's going on' look before being dragged around the corner to the carpark.

Xander trudged back to the table, his cheek still flaming red and sat down next to Anya.

"Uh, what the hell happened Xander?" Buffy asked, her eyes still wide, "Willow like never gets angry, and I've never seen her angry at one of us."

"Yeah, well, I had to tell her something and I knew it was gonna upset her. I think she took it out on the wrong person though," he replied, holding his hand to his cheek.

"Well what did you have to tell her?" Anya asked this time.

Xander looked between the two girls with a remorseful look on his face, like he was sorry he was the one who had to break this news and sighed.

"That Tara's cheating on her."


	27. Chapter 27

"Do you wanna slap him first or should I?" Anya asked Buffy, both of them staring at him in horror.

"I don't know why you would ever think that, Xander Harris, but there is a snowballs chance in hell that either of those two are cheating on each other. I can't believe you told Willow that!" Buffy said, having to make a pointed effort to keep her voice down.

"But I have proof!" Xander tried to reason, surprised by his girlfriend and best friend's such strong reaction. He'd been upset too when he realised, but this was a whole other ball game.

The girls stared at him in disbelief.

"Fine. Prove it," Anya challenged.

She normally thought anyone was capable of causing a loved one pain, she had seen her own parents marriage break up right in front of her, had seen them argue day after day and night after night until eventually they had both stopped caring and had deigned to live separate lives while still living under the same roof, both having affairs that the other didn't acknowledge.

Anya wished they would just split up already and stop the faking, but figured that would just bring about a whole lot of lawyers, going back and forth between two homes and the possibility of actually having to move away from Sunnydale. So she kept up the pretence her parents did, that they were all happy in their home life.

All other aspects were good for her, she figured: a boyfriend she really did love, a group of friends who she actually felt liked her, regular orgasms and plenty of guilt money from her parents, so she could forget about other things. But the thought that Tara, easily her closest friend of the group, could be doing anything to hurt Willow was utterly ridiculous in her mind, they meant the world to each other, an idiot with a bag over his head could see that.

"I saw something. In her bag," Xander said, as if that explained everything.

"Well, what was it? If it was a photograph of her and some girl, it could've just been a friend from Jersey," Buffy tried to reason.

"No, not a photograph…" Xander trailed off and sighed, "She had a box of pills. You know, The Pill. I recognised it 'cause Anya takes the same one. I know this is shocking, that Tara would-"

He was cut off by Buffy and Anya hitting him simultaneously, on either arm.

"Ow!" Xander said, trying to hold onto both of his arms, basically giving himself a hug in the process.

The girls looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"Xander, The Pill is not just used for contraception," Buffy explained, "She could have a condition that she doesn't want us knowing about 'cause its _private _… or acne or something. Jeez Xander, you can't just go around accusing…"

"Well how was I supposed to know that?" Xander spluttered.

"You could've, I dunno, discussed it with us first," Anya said with a 'duh' expression, "Or even went to Tara. I'm sure if you asked what the deal was 'cause you were concerned, she would've told you."

"Oh god," Xander said, hanging his head in his hands, "I just thought… I just didn't want Willow getting hurt."

Anya softened as she saw her boyfriend's turmoil. She looked at Buffy, who sighed.

"We know, Xand. And I'm sure Tara will calm Willow down enough to know that too," Buffy said and gave him a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, "But be prepared to apologise. To _both _of them. Tara's not gonna like being accused anymore than Willow liked hearing it."

Xander nodded his head. He knew he messed up. He just hoped he hadn't lost his oldest friend in the process.

* * *

Willow was quietly seething in the passenger seat of Alexis as Tara drove out of the carpark.

"Do you want me to go anywhere in particular?" Tara asked quietly.

Willow turned and looked into concerned eyes and tried to give a small smile.

"Is there anyone at your house?"

"No. Mom's at work."

"Can we go there?"

Tara nodded and turned left in the general direction of her house. She was glad Willow had suggested there, it was the closest home to school so it wouldn't take long to get there and it gave them a quiet place to talk. Unless of course Willow didn't want to talk and just needed some quiet away from the school, she could deal with that too.

As anxious as she was about what had happened, as much as she wanted to know, her first priority was her girlfriend and giving her whatever she needed. She pulled into her driveway a couple of minutes later and got out of the car, rushing around to open Willow's door before she did. They walked into the house in silence and Willow went straight to Tara's bedroom, grabbing a pillow and sitting on her bed, hugging the pillow to her.

Tara stood in the doorway, not sure whether Willow wanted her around or not and stayed quiet.

"That bastard," Willow spat out after a second.

Tara took that as a sign she was welcome in the room and went to sit on the end of the bed.

"Do you wanna tell me what happened?" she asked softly.

Willow nodded and took a deep breath.

"He told me you were cheating on me," Willow said venomously.

"He…I…What?!" Tara asked in shock, "Why would he think I was cheating… Wait, you know I'm not, right? That I would never, ever, in a million ye-"

"I know," Willow interrupted, "But apparently Xander doesn't. That he could even think you would do that… I mean he sees one little box and goes jumping to all these conclusions, doesn't even take the time to get his facts straight and accuses _my _girlfriend, the love of _my _life of being a cheater. And with a boy, no less. Why do guys not get the whole 'gay' thing. I mean, first that Melvyn guy and well, maybe he didn't know I was gay, but still, and now Xander thinks you're sleeping with a guy too. Like we all secretly want them. Stupid TV, that's whose fault it is. Making all the lesbians sleep with men."

"Are you really mad at the TV?"

"No, I'm mad at Xander!"

"Okay, okay," Tara soothed, moving up to sit beside her girlfriend and pulling her head down to rest on her shoulder, "Why does he think I'm sleeping with a guy?"

"Remember how you told me he helped pick your stuff up, then ran away all weird?"

"Yeah?"

"So he picked up your pencil case and your pills and saw the name, Anya has the same ones or something and he assumed."

"My pills…" Tara said, then understanding dawned, "Oh. The birth control pills. I'm guessing he doesn't know they can be used to regulate your periods too, huh?"

"Evidently not. But like, if he'd just said, 'listen, I saw something and just wanted to check it out' to me, I would've been like, 'don't worry, Xand, she's told me about them, they're not for what you think.' But no, he just says 'Tara's cheating on you.' And then he started going on about it being with a guy and that I shouldn't feel bad, that you clearly just needed something I couldn't provide and that's when I slapped him."

Tara was reeling slightly, she couldn't deny she was hurt that anyone would think she would cheat on her girlfriend, but she could see how things could have looked from Xander's point of view. As far as he was aware, the pills she had had only one purpose and her possession of them would look suspect. He definitely went about the whole thing the wrong way and without doubt worded things horribly, but in the end all he was doing was looking out for Willow, and Tara was glad that people cared about her girlfriend so much.

"I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but he was just looking out for you," she said and dropped a kiss on top of the smaller girl's head.

Willow pulled back from the embrace and gaped at Tara.

"How can you be defending him? What he said was out of line."

"I agree… And I'm not gonna say I'm not hurt… but if I though someone was doing something that would cause you pain… I might not react completely level-headedly either. He loves you, Will, he's your oldest friend. He just wants you to be happy."

"You are much too forgiving."

"Deny I'm right…"

"I can't. You're always right," Willow said with a grin, feeling a bit better about the whole thing. She wasn't ready to be as forgiving as the brunette, not yet anyway, but she could see Xander's side of things.

"Yeah, and don't you forget it," Tara grinned back, "I love you."

Willow leaned over and met Tara's lips in a needy kiss, pushing her tongue forward to stroke it's twin. She pulled back and looked at the brunette with vulnerable eyes.

"Show me?" she asked in a small voice.

Tara nodded, seeing Willow needed to feel their love right now, needed some comfort. She knew they still had a large chunk of their lunch hour left and went back to their kiss, languidly caressing Willow's tongue with her own. As the kiss got more and more heated, she brought her hand under the redhead's t-shirt and rubbed her hand over the flesh of her stomach for a few moments before reaching up to cup a breast through her bra.

Willow, meanwhile, was quickly undoing the buttons on the brunette's blouse and had it slipped off her shoulders in record time. She reached behind with one hand and swiftly unsnapped her girlfriend's bra. Tara pulled back from the kiss, letting her bra fall off her.

"You're getting faster and faster at taking my bra off," she said with a smirk.

"I think it's a skill you'll find is very advantageous," Willow smirked back, letting a hand come up to fondle the flesh of the taller girl's exposed breasts.

Tara moaned her approval at the touch and tugged at the waistband of her lover's pants, grabbing onto the fabric of her panties as she pulled both garments off of the redhead. When they were off, she lay both of them down sideways on the bed and slid two fingers through her girlfriend's slit.

"You're really wet," she said twisting her fingers around to gather as much wetness as she could.

"Only for you," Willow responded promptly, slightly breathless.

"Mmhh, good," Tara replied dreamily. then leaned in for another kiss as she started pinching the redhead's clit lightly.

Willow groaned into the kiss and let her own hand move downwards to pull Tara's skirt up over her hips and yanked at her panties, accidentally tearing them right off her body.

"Doesn't matter," Tara said quickly, pulling back from the kiss for only a second, before reclaiming her lover's lips.

The brunette moved to lie on her back and pulled Willow on top of her, pulling her t-shirt over her head and unhooking her bra. The redhead decided that the skirt pooled around Tara's hips was still far too much clothing and fumbled slightly to try and find the button, releasing it when she did and pushing it down, feeling her girlfriend kick it off. She sighed when she felt the full body contact with them both naked and brought her hand down to Tara's centre, the brunette still providing a steady friction on her own clit as they kissed.

Tara groaned and pulled away from the kiss as she felt Willow enter her straight away with two fingers and starting moving her own hips.

"I love when you're inside me," she said, looking up into the redhead's eyes as she brought her own hand down and thrust inside.

"Love being inside you," Willow grunted out, moving her own hips against her girlfriend's fingers.

They moved in and out of each other, their breasts rubbing together in their ministrations, the only sounds in the room being the constant grunting and groaning and occasional gasp. Tara could feel the sweat pouring out of her body and could see the light sheen on Willow's skin.

She spotted an errant drop begin to form at her lover's collarbone and fall down between her breasts and dropped her head to lick it up. She stayed nuzzling there for a second until the strain on her neck got too much and she let her head drop back onto the pillow, watching Willow move above her, her eyes shut tight and head thrown back, making the tendons on her neck stand out. She licked her lips at the sight.

"You're so hot," she groaned, dizzy with arousal, "Ugh, god and you make me feel so good. Give me some more, Will, stretch me out for you."

"You want more?" Willow asked with a growl, opening her eyes and looking down, "Beg for it."

Tara felt her heart begin to beat furiously at the feral look in her lover's eyes and at her words. This was raw and needy and passionate and Tara knew it was exactly what they both needed after what had happened, knowing that it didn't matter what someone else thought about their relationship, they loved and wanted each other to such a fierce degree that that ended up being all that mattered.

"Please give it to me," Tara said, deciding to fully comply with her lover's request for begging, "Give it to me, I need it, I need you. I need you pumping in and out of my pussy. Feel how wet it is? All for you, Willow, so please, fuck me, fuck me hard."

Willow growled again as she heard Tara speak, feeling herself almost come at just the words, so much more than she'd expected and just so damn…hot.

"I'll give it to you," she said and heard a long moan when she slipped two more fingers inside, "Fuck me harder too."

Tara eagerly complied and slipped a third finger inside as she quickened her movements.

"I'm gonna come, Willow," she gasped out only a minute later, the four fingers inside her hitting against her sweet spot at every thrust.

"Flick my clit," Willow said in that same demanding tone she'd used earlier, turning Tara on even more, "And I'll come with you."

Tara let her thumb find her girlfriend's clit and started flicking it in fast strokes.

"Ugh, yes," Willow spoke again, dropping her forehead against Tara's shoulder, "You gonna come Tara?"

"Fuck yeah," Tara panted, having tried to keep herself on the edge until the smaller girl was ready.

"Do it, baby. I'm right there with you."

"You are?"

"God yes. I'm gonna come all over your fingers."

Tara brought her free hand up to hold Willow's head, clutching her to her shoulder tightly as felt the orgasm start in her toes and radiate right through her in what felt like never-ending bliss.

"Ohh…Ohh…WILLOW! Oh yes, Willow, WILLOW!"

"Fuck yes, yes, yes, yes… All this come, it's all for you, Tara, all for you… Tara, Tara, Tara, TARA!"

Willow used her spare hand to cup one of Tara's breasts as she came, roughly digging her fingernails into the flesh as the pleasure shot from nerve to nerve. She could feel the brunette still contracting wildly around her fingers and it just made her own orgasm last longer. With one final shudder she slowly pulled her fingers out and felt Tara do the same.

Looking up to meet Tara's eyes she slowly sucked each finger into her mouth and watched the brunette lick her own clean as well. She shuffled up slightly so their heads were next to each other.

"Your come tastes amazing," she whispered in her girlfriend's ear.

"Ohh, still doing the dirty talk. In that case," Tara replied and lowered her voice to a whisper for the next bit too, "Your come is the sweetest thing I've ever tasted in my life. It's like luscious nectar."

Willow kissed the brunette's neck and rolled off so they could look at each other. She removed her hand from her lover's breast in the process and saw the deep nail marks embedded in them. She was surprised when she felt almost proud of the marks, not apologetic like she normally would. Tara followed her eye line.

"I love it when you mark me. Shame I can't show these ones off, show the world who I belong to."

Willow smiled at her and traced her jaw line with her thumb.

"I feel like I should be apologising or checking that you're okay with those," she nodded towards the marks, "And with how…forceful I was, but I dunno, it just…it felt great."

"It felt great to me too," Tara reassured, "Everything was so…I dunno, erotic or something."

"Yes, exactly!" Willow nodded her head, then sighed, "God, I love that we can be like that. I really needed to feel…just us."

"Mmhh, yeah, I know what you mean…How are you feeling about the other stuff?"

"I…I guess I feel bad about slapping him… I'm still mad that he'd think that about you, but I'll apologise for the slap."

"You guys'll work it out," Tara said with a smile and glanced at her clock.

"If we head back in the next ten minutes, you'll have a chance to talk to him before class."

"Yeah…yeah, that's probably a good idea. Ugh, means we have to move though."

"Well now that might be a problem… I think I'm gonna we walking funny for a week."

"And I don't think I'm gonna be able to concentrate in class for a while…I'm just gonna hear you whispering 'give it to me' in my ear over and over again," Willow smirked.

"If you keep talking like that you're gonna start something we can't finish…"

"Yeah, alright," Willow said and swung herself off the bed, "But only if you promise you'll scream it for me later."

"That is a deal," Tara said and got up as well, going over to her dresser, "Do you need some panties?"

"Yes, please…mine got all wet somehow."

Tara grinned at her and threw a pair of panties across the room. They got dressed quickly and Tara grabbed some fruit for the two of them, not having had a chance to eat with all the commotion and they ate in car as they headed back to school. When they arrived, they went back to the table and saw Xander, Anya and Buffy still sitting there. Xander jumped up as they approached.

"Before you say anything, Tara, I wanna apologise for jumping to conclusions. You're one of the sweetest girls I've ever met and I can't think of anyone better for Willow."

"Thank you Xander," Tara said with a genuine smile as they sat at the table, "But you pissed off my girlfriend a helluva lot more than me."

"I know," Xander said with a scared look on his face.

"Chill, Xand, I'm not gonna slap you again," Willow said when she saw the look, "And I'm sorry for slapping you the first time. I shouldn't have done that. I can…understand where your concerns were. But what you said wasn't fair. To either of us. Tara would never cheat on me, and uh, I can _provide _whatever she needs."

"I know. I really am sorry. I just… assumed. Won't be doing that again; makes an ass outta you and me."

"I'd tell you what the pills are for, Xander, but it's, um, girly stuff and I think it might just make you more uncomfortable," Tara interjected.

"No, no, it's your own business anyway. I shouldn't be prying… and I should've respected the privacy of your relationship."

Willow quirked an eyebrow at him and had to stifle a giggle.

"Did Buffy or Anya tell you to say that?"

"Buffy," Xander admitted sheepishly, "But I believe it."

"I'm willing to forgive and forget if you are," Willow said.

"I have nothing to forgive…but I'd like that a lot…Tara?"

"I'm with, Willow, Xand, forgive and forget."

"Oh you guys are the greatest," Xander said, jumping up and wrapping his arms around both of them, "Again, I'm so sorry."

He pulled back and went back to his seat a happy smile on his face.

Tara stood up and pulled her bag onto her shoulder.

"I have to go get my books before class," she said to the group, before turning to Xander, giving him a wink, "But don't worry, Xand, It's just books. I'm not going to meet my secret lover or anything."


	28. Chapter 28

"Wow, am I glad that is over," Tara sighed as she met up with Willow outside of the large exam room.

"Yeah…but it was fun, right? I mean all the fun questions and stuff. Plus, yay, essay, you're great at essays. And we can always retake the SATs next year; this was just kinda like practice. And all those multiple choices, those were great, you get to be all choosy and stuff. Ohh, I wish I knew how I scored now, I can't wait the three weeks until they're online. Hey, maybe I can hack into the college admissions board websites, see if they have them logged earlier," Willow gushed as they both started walking towards Tara's car.

"I love your test enthusiasm, sweetie. But be careful messing around with those websites, other people's scores are private."

"Oh, I know, I'd never look up yours or anything."

"I don't mean that, I mean others…its not fair if, say, you knew Cordelia's scores and she didn't want you to. Or even a strangers…you know what I'm trying to say?"

"Yeah I get ya…maybe I should just wait like everyone else?"

"That's my girl."

Willow got a goofy smile on her face, just like anytime Tara called her 'my girl' or said 'I love you'.

"I don't know about you but tests make me hungry. Can I buy ya lunch? I'm in the mood for pizza."

"Definitely," Tara replied, pressing the button to open her car.

They got in the car and Tara drove towards the small pizza place on Main Street that she knew they both liked, chatting about the SATs and the sections they did and didn't like. They parked on the street and made their way into the restaurant, getting a small table in the corner.

"I think I'm in the mood for the vegetable extravaganza," Willow said, mulling over her options.

"Okay, but I would suggest getting it without garlic if you have any intention of kissing me today," Tara smirked over her menu.

"Hey, I made out with you for over an hour after you had nachos at the movies one time, not to mention all the mornings we wake up together; morning breath-"

"I really, really hope this is going somewhere."

"All I meant was I don't care what funkiness is going on, I never can and never will be able to resist the allure of your lips, because every time they touch mine I know that loving you is most important thing in my life."

Tara's heart melted at her girlfriend's words.

"That was incredibly sweet," she said, leaning over the table for a quick kiss, "And that was also the last one you're getting if you choose the garlic."

"Well that's… just… it's why I love you so damn much, that's what it is."

"Because I refuse to kiss you?" Tara asked confused.

"Because you stand your ground. Like when you went to my parents. Or stood up against Cordelia. Or even that first time, in Biology, when you let me know that you were interested. You're stubborn and you scare me and I love it."

Tara was taken aback by the heartfelt words and reached under the table to entwine their hands.

"Get your garlic."

* * *

An hour later they had finished their pizza, Willow having decided to get a ham and pineapple after all, anyway, and were walking through the park, hand-in-hand. Willow steered them towards the small stream and onto a bench, watching the water shimmer in the sun and giggling when she saw a duck try to waddle into water but accidentally falling in instead.

Tara saw the same event and giggled along with her, wrapping an arm around the redhead's shoulder. She was glad that there was no one else around, the park was unusually quiet for a Saturday, but it made sitting there a lot more peaceful.

"So now we've finished the SATs, what are we stressing about next?" Tara asked.

"Me getting up in front of a room full of people and speaking with twelve other students listening with the specific aim of denigrating every single word I say," Willow replied airily.

"You're reading a poem at the talent show?" Tara asked, teasingly.

"Goof," Willow responded, hitting her playfully, "My debate final. I was putting it out of my mind 'til the test was over, and now it is, so that's gonna occupy my mind. Well, that and you. You're never far from my thoughts."

"You're gonna be amazing. Do we have the details yet? I mean, where it is and stuff?"

"Oh yeah, I totally forgot to tell you, Mr. Ramos told me yesterday. It's in LA, being held in UCLA, in one of the lecture rooms. The 15th…which is today two weeks. Um, are you gonna come? You don't have to or anything."

"Willow I haven't missed a debate yet and I'll be damned if I'm gonna miss watching you prove you're the best in the entire state. Besides, I'm the official Willow-chauffeur. What time do we have to be there for?"

"Um, 9am."

Tara turned her head down and looked Willow in the eye.

"That's pretty early to drive down from here… this might be completely inappropriate and I swear I'm not trying to be sleazy… but do you maybe wanna get a hotel?"

"Babe, that's a great idea! Um, I meant baby, but just got excited and it came out as 'babe'. I wasn't trying to compare you to the pig or anything," Willow rambled, "I mean, you totally are a babe, in the hotness sense, you're the sexiest woman I've ev-"

"Will, you can call me whatever pet name you want. I'm a-ok with babe," Tara interrupted, "Don't worry so much okay?"

"Can't change the habit of a lifetime. But, uh, we should definitely go down the night before."

"If we're getting a hotel room then I very much plan on it," Tara smirked.

Willow blushed as she'd realised what she'd said and hit the brunette on the arm again.

"I meant to LA," she said, rolling her eyes, "Is that all you ever think about? You're worse than a guy."

"Don't you dare try and act like Ms. Innocent," Tara scoffed, then placed a small kiss above the redhead's ear as she whispered in it, "Your dirty talk has gotten me off on way more than one occasion."

Willow shivered at the hot breath in her ear and placed her own hand on the brunette's thigh. She squeezed the flesh beneath the fabric of her pants as she tried to keep her tone of voice light.

"Only 'cause you corrupted me," she said and grinned at her girlfriend.

Tara did a double take and stared at the smaller girl, wide-eyed.

"Me!?" she spluttered, "You, _you _wouldn't stop staring at my chest and _you _asked _me _to make love to you and… you're all with the suggesting of new positions, which, don't get me wrong, I love – love – but I am not the corrupter here."

"Ooh, speaking of positions, I was reading-"

"Uh, see?!"

"You wanna hear about how I'm gonna blow your mind or not?"

"When you admit that you corrupted me and not the other way around."

Willow scrunched up her nose in thought and entwined their hands.

"I'll admit that I love you and have no issues with showing you in any way you want. I'll admit that I enjoy sex and I know you do too. I'll admit that I like that you're willing to fulfil any fantasies that I've shared with you. I'll admit that I like that you've shared yours. I'll admit that, yes, I have a slight obsession with your breasts-"

"You've named them."

"Snuggles and Ms. Jiggle like their names, thank you very much and it seemed inappropriate to not at least acknowledge their presence when I spend so much time playing with them. Anything less would've been downright rude. And I will admit that I love that we're so passionate about each other, but I love knowing just as much that's its not the be all and end all of our relationship, that we've got something special. But I will not admit that I was the corrupter, 'cause I've got two words for you, Tara Maclay. Naughty Schoolgirl."

Tara blushed and bit her lip, knowing she was beat. She wasn't ready to admit it yet though.

"I still think our friends would be shocked by some of the things that come out of your mouth when we're making love."

"I think our friends would be shocked to know that you like to be spanked," Willow shot right back, a glint in her eye.

"Oh you're gonna get it for that, Rosenberg," Tara said, and was about to start a tickle assault on the redhead, but Willow pre-empted the move and jumped up from the bench.

"What, you gonna try and spank me too?" Willow said in a faux-mocking voice, standing a couple of feet away from the brunette, "I can give you some tips if you like, you know, getting the most power behind your swats."

"Oh that's it," Tara replied, not able to hold back a giggle and jumped up as well.

Willow shot her a grin and ran away, Tara chasing right after her. Willow ran around the small grassy area for a few minutes, giggling until Tara caught up with her and wrapped both her arms around her from behind. She held the redhead with one hand and used the other to start tickling her sides.

"Okay, okay, I give," Willow panted out after a few moments of relentless tickling, "I corrupted Tara Maclay and… I wouldn't change it for the world."

Tara eased off her tickling and spun the wheezing girl around in her arms.

"You're cunning linguistic skills save you once again," she said, tucking a piece of red hair behind her girlfriend's ear.

Willow quirked an eyebrow at her, still breathing hard.

"I would…comment…on that, but I think…it could get us started…all over again… and my body can't take…any more…tickling."

"Can your body take a kiss?" Tara asked sweetly.

"Always from you," Willow replied and wrapped her arms around the taller girl's neck, leaning up for a kiss.

They kissed lazily for a few minutes, until Willow pulled back with a couple of short, sweet kisses and just hugged her girlfriend.

"Love you," she mumbled into the brunette's chest.

"I love you too, beautiful," Tara replied, holding her tight.

Willow smiled and nuzzled into Tara's neck for a second before pulling back from the embrace and taking the brunette's hand in hers. She walked them towards the exit of the park and bumped her shoulder against her girlfriend's.

"What do you say we go book that hotel? We only have two weeks, and you know me, I'll need to compare them all side by side before making a final decision."


	29. Chapter 29

Tara closed her book and scooted closer to her girlfriend when she heard her sigh for the tenth time in a minute.

"You okay?" she whispered quietly, trying to keep to the library rules, despite the fact that they were the only ones there, given that it was 7pm and school had ended hours ago.

"I'm all twitchy. I feel like I have so many topics to cover but I don't know where to start. Who'd have thought I'd be more stressed _after _the SATs?" Willow whispered back.

She had stayed after school to work on her debate speech and had all her research laid out in front of her, but was unsure what exactly to include. Tara had offered to stay back with her for moral support, hence why they and the librarian, who was hiding in her office, were the only ones in sight.

"Your teacher said not to try and talk about too much, right? You can't go wrong with the constitution… freedom of speech and all."

"But what if everyone has that? Then I'll just be repeato-girl and that is not a good quality of a debater. I just…I can't concentrate, my head is all muddled with everything at once."

Tara stood up and held out her hand.

"Uh…"

"Trust me?"

Willow instantly put her hand in the brunette's and stood up, letting herself be lead down the corridors of books until they arrived at the cross section at the very back between the history and gardening sections. Tara seemed to mull between the two rows before turning into the history section and shoved Willow against the far wall, instantly joining their lips together. The redhead felt a sudden rush of arousal, hitting her with complete surprise and she grabbed onto the back of the taller girl's head, bringing them closer.

Tara too felt a bursting desire go through her. She had intended to just bring the other girl to the deserted section and sit her down, kissing her senseless to try and clear her head a little, but this was swiftly turning into something more, and the prospect excited her. With that thought in mind, she pulled the end of Willow's shirt from the waistband and slipped her hand under, cupping the redhead's breast through her bra. She flexed her fingers and squeezed.

She felt the smaller girl push their faces even closer together and enthusiastically continued their kiss, their tongues duelling passionately.

Willow moved her hand down slightly and started caressing the skin on Tara's neck. She jumped a little when she felt the brunette's hand move down as well, going from where it was squeezing her breast to bunching the fabric of her skirt up a bit and grazing across her panties. She moaned, luckily muffled by Tara's lips, when her girlfriend slipped a hand beneath her panties and started rubbing furiously over her clit.

She clutched at the material of the brunette's shirt for a few seconds, needing anything to hold on to, before holding her lover by the waist with one hand and starting to undo the belt buckle and button of her jeans with the other. With minimal fumbling, she stuck her hand into the loosened fabric and into the thin panties, getting a shiver as her fingers met the wet heat. She glided through effortlessly for a moment before focusing her attention on her lover's clit as well, copying the fast pace Tara had set.

Tara pulled away from the kiss, completely breathless, as she felt Willow start to rub on her clit as well and let her head drop onto the redhead's shoulder, turning her head slightly to kiss her neck. She licked and kissed whatever piece of flesh came into contact with her lips, hearing the smaller girl sigh slightly as they both continued to rub over each other's bundle of nerves, creating delightful friction that was sending waves of pleasure straight through them.

Tara bit down on the skin around the redhead's pulse point when she felt Willow start to pinch her clit between her fingers, running her tongue over the flesh to sooth any pain. She smiled when she thought of the mark it would leave and started sucking on the pulse to make it more prominent. After a few minutes she felt her lover begin to shake.

"Need your lips, baby," Willow whispered, struggling to stay quiet, "Gonna scream your name otherwise."

Tara quickly let her lips reclaim her girlfriend's, the lure of actually hearing the redhead call out her name giving way to her bigger desire not to be caught. She felt Willow instantly start to crumble and her fingers start to move faster, pushing her over the edge as well, as they both came, their kisses desperate and hungry, swallowing any sounds that wanted to come out before they even met air. After a few moments, their movements still and they slowly slid down the wall, knee's giving way from the strength of the mutual orgasm.

Their lips parted as Tara continued sliding down, grinning deliriously, so that she was lying on her stomach in front of Willow, who was sitting with her knee's up, elbows resting on them, head hanging down. They were both breathing heavily.

"Mmhh, so good," Willow sighed dreamily.

Tara looked up through lazy eyes and registered their positions, a devilish glint entering her eyes.

"You got a look in your eye, baby," Willow whispered warily.

Tara just smiled saucily in response and started crawling towards her lover.

"What are you doing? Oh god. Oh that's what you're doing…"

Willow's quiet whispers trailed off as she felt Tara crawl between her open legs, using one hand to pull aside her panties and the other to hold her open before her tongue ran the length of her slit. The redhead rolled her eyes back into her head at the glorious sensation and rested one hand on the brunette's head, through her skirt.

Tara continued licking up and down for a few moments, surprising herself at how daring she was being by continuing their session, but enjoying herself way too much to care. She flicked over her lover's clit a few times, hearing a few hushed gasps from above, before closing her lips around the throbbing nub, still extra sensitive from the attention it had already received and started a gentle sucking motion, not wanting to over-stimulate and hurt her girlfriend. She let her tongue run over the tip of the hard nub, feeling Willow's thighs twitch when she did so and alternated doing that with slow, long sucks.

"Tara," Willow said under her breath, knowing the brunette wouldn't be able to hear, but needing to verbalise anyway, "You're amazing."

She cupped Tara's head with both hands, pulling her skirt up over her knees so she could stroke her hair, biting down hard on her lip to keep the flow of moans and words that threatened to leave her mouth as the all-consuming bliss started to rise within her.

"I love you," she breathed, feeling her heart begin to pound against her chest.

Her eyes shut tight as she finally erupted, the pleasure filling her entire being as she held Tara to her firmly and bit down even harder on her lip, a quiet, errant moan escaping anyway.

She relaxed a few minutes later, bright eyes and a dreamy smile plastered to her face and continued stroking the taller girl's hair as her girlfriend finished up her ministrations. Her leg jerked when she felt Tara give her clit a quick kiss, then felt a final, long, languid lick, the entire length of her centre, before the brunette raised her head with equally bright eyes and smiled almost smugly.

"I'd say wipe that smile off your face," Willow whispered lazily as she looked down, "But it soo deserves to be there. You were amazing. Gimme a kiss."

Tara manoeuvred herself so she was sitting beside her girlfriend, back against the wall and leaned over so their lips could meet gently. Willow smiled into the kiss as she tasted herself and nuzzled their noses slightly together, before pulling back in quiet giggles.

"We just had sex in the library! I just had sex in the library. In a public library! With the books, and where people study…And homework! Homework is done here!"

Tara got an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry. I just meant you try and relax you with some kisses…well, maybe I was gonna try and feel you up a bit too, but I didn't mean for things to get so…heated. Are you okay?" she whispered back.

"Okay? Am I okay? Anyone could've walked up and watched you going down on me. Me, Willow Rosenberg, honour roll student, sometimes-teacher, all around good girl. I'm so unbelievably okay. You make me naughty and I love it."

Tara got a broad grin on her face and leaned over for another quick kiss before Willow pulled back to speak again.

"Besides, I complained about not being able to relax. And baby, believe me, I am now totally, completely, words-cannot-describe-just-how-much-I-am: relaxed."


	30. Chapter 30

"Yay! It's bouncy!" Willow said excitedly as she jumped up and down on the queen-sized bed in their hotel room.

In the end, it had only taken a couple of days for Willow to settle on an acceptable hotel, Tara not caring as long as they had a bed and there wasn't any cockroaches and the redhead had chosen quite a nice hotel, ten minutes drive from the UCLA campus that she would be speaking at tomorrow. Ira, who although seemed uncomfortable with the idea of the two girls sharing a hotel room, wasn't in denial any longer of the actual nature of their relationship and had paid for the room in an attempt of an apology that he couldn't be there for the actual event.

Sheila, who since Willow had come out had become even colder, if that was possible, to her daughter, had said a forced 'good luck' before they had left and ignored Tara's presence. Absent relationship with her mother aside, because, quite frankly, Willow was so used to it that she didn't really care anymore, the redhead was both dreading and looking forward to her debate tomorrow. Her speech was done, she had her laptop to re-check her facts if the panic took her and she had her girl, who would be in the stands the whole time, supporting her as always.

Tara looked on, smiling as Willow bounced on the bed; she'd been reading over her speech the entire car trip down and it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was nervous as hell for the next day. She dropped their two overnight bags and went to the bed as well, checking the bounciness.

"Very bouncy," Tara confirmed, pulling Willow down into a sitting position.

Willow settled and put her hand on the brunette's knee. She brought her hand up to her mouth and bit at the skin around her nails for a minute.

"I'm just gonna make sure all my quotes are right and stuff, is that okay?"

"Of course it is," Tara said with a smile, "I brought a book. I'll be right here if you need anything."

"You're the best," Willow replied and leaned over for a chaste kiss, "We can order, like, really expensive room service, since Dad's paying and everything."

"Whatever you want, love."

Willow smiled shyly and gave her another quick kiss before jumping off the bed and going over to her bag, getting her laptop out and booting it up while she held the copy of her speech in one hand. Tara rummaged through her own bag, finding the book she had brought and flopped back onto the bed, the room in silence apart from the keystrokes of Willow's laptop until the redhead let out a horrified squeal about twenty minutes later.

"Honey, what is it?" Tara asked, moving to sit at the end of the bed.

"I..I…this quote… it's supposed to say 'hallmark of an authoritarian regime' but I have 'characteristic of an authoritarian regime'. I must have mixed up my analysis of it with the actual quote itself."

"Well, that's okay, you've spotted it, you can just change it."

"But if I did it on this, I could've done it on all of them. And, oh god, what if I hadn't noticed. And then I'd be known as the girl who can't even get her quotes right. I mean, if I mess up someone else's words, how could mine ever be taken seriously?!"

Willow had jumped up from her seat and was pacing back and forth in a somewhat maniacal manner at this stage, gesturing wildly with her hands.

"Sweetheart, just relax for a second and-"

"Relax? Tara, how the hell am I supposed to relax!?"

Tara watched her girlfriend start to go slightly red as she continued to rant about not being able to relax and did the only thing she could think of to help. She took her top off. Willow paced for a few more moments until on her next turn she caught sight of the brunette.

"Tha…that helps," she gulped and rushed over to the end of the bed.

"Good," Tara said and went to put her shirt back on until it was snatched out of her hands.

"Why in all the deities in heaven would you put this back on?!" Willow asked in disbelief.

"I just wanted you to calm down so you could see you were making a big deal out of nothing…I mean I wasn't trying to distract you…well, no I was, I just mean I wasn't trying to take you away from your work."

"Okay," Willow said and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, "You're right, I can fix the quote, not a big deal. Thank you for snapping me out of my panic. But, um, Snuggles and Ms. Jiggle are here now, it would be impolite not to say hello…"

Tara shook her head, biting her lip to stop from laughing and reached a hand behind to unhook her bra, letting it fall off of her before scooting back up on the bed and lying down. Willow giddily crawled on top of the brunette, lying straight down between her legs and propped herself up on her elbows, her face hovering above her girlfriend's breasts. She gave each nipple a light kiss and pulled back with a sigh.

"Hi, old friends. Sorry we haven't seen much of each other the last few days. I've been neglecting you, and that was wrong of me. Can you forgive me?"

"Um, sweetie… we…we made love three days ago. I don't think that constitutes neglect."

"Yeah but I've been so preoccupied with my speech that I haven't even tried to cop a feel since. They must think they've done something wrong. You've done nothing wrong, Snuggles," Willow replied and nuzzled into Tara's right breast, before moving to her left one, "You either, Ms. Jiggle. And I'm gonna make it up to both of you. Starting right now."

She dropped her head and took the nipple of Tara's left breast in her mouth, running her tongue over it inside.

"Ohh! Now that you mention it, they do need to be made up to," Tara said, closing her eyes at the contact, "Very neglected. Need lots of attention."

Willow smirked as she tugged the nipple between her teeth and used one hand to massage the brunette's right breast. She loved that Tara loved her playing with her breasts as much as she enjoyed doing it. She continued her ministrations for a few minutes before kissing across to take Tara's other nipple in her mouth and let her thumb and forefinger to pinch the other saliva-coated one.

"That feels great, Will," Tara softly moaned, lightly cupping the back of Willow's hair with both hands, "Use your teeth a little."

Willow started nibbling on the hard nub in her mouth and Tara arched her back at the touch.

"Oh yeah. A lot, Willow, use your teeth a lot."

Willow bit down and Tara's hands flew to the redhead's skirt, grabbing at the fabric so she could bunch it around her waist and slipped her hands inside her girlfriend's panties, squeezing the flesh there firmly. She brought her spare hand up and held the breast of the nipple she had wrapped in her lips steady as she let her mouth engulf the entire breast.

Tara groaned and arched her back again, encouraging her lover to take as much of her breast as she could.

"Oh…Willow…Mmmhhh…"

Tara pulled her hands from Willow's panties and grabbed onto the smaller girl's head, bringing her up for a steamy kiss, thrusting her tongue inside the redhead's mouth as Willow cupped her cheeks and brought them even closer together.

"Want you so much," Tara said between kisses as she went about getting rid of her lover's blouse, deftly popping all the buttons and shrugging it off her shoulders.

"Right here, gorgeous," Willow replied as she felt her bra being removed and thrown somewhere behind them, "Take me."

Tara quickly turned them so she was on top and yanked at the elastic waistband of the redhead's skirt, pulling her panties down as well in the process.

"You know how beautiful you are?" she asked as she took in her lover's nude form.

"I see it when I look in your eyes," Willow replied, undoing the brunette's belt and button of her jeans.

Tara shimmied out of jeans and kicked them off when she felt them around her ankles.

"Naked, please," Willow begged, clutching at her girlfriend's panties, "Want them off."

"Take them off," Tara replied and knelt back between Willow's legs so the redhead could access her underwear.

"God, you're so damn sexy," Willow responded as she rubbed her hands up and down the brunette's sides, eventually hooking her thumbs under the waistband of her panties and pulling them down.

Tara kicked her panties off and lay down fully atop the smaller girl, both groaning at the contact. Their lips met again in a fiery tangle of tongues as their hands roamed up and down each other's bodies, touching everywhere, squeezing firm flesh as their kiss got more and more heated.

Tara pulled away as her hands landed between them, pinching the smaller girl's nipples. To Willow's dismay, the brunette rolled off of her, pulling her hands away in the process, effectively stopping all contact.

"Wha…?" she started, trying to comprehend what was happening in her lust filled mind, "I..I…no, Tara don't you dare stop, don't you dare, you said you were taking me and this is not taking me, this is leaving me in a frustrated babbling mess and-"

Tara cut her off by grabbing her cheek and turning her face to the side so they were looking at each other.

"Stop talking, turn over and I promise I'll make you come so hard that we may just get a noise complaint from the room next door."

Willow opened her mouth to speak but quickly shut it and turned over to lie on her stomach, her head still on its side so she could look at her girlfriend. She felt Tara pat on her thighs slightly and spread her legs as wide as could as the brunette leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"_Now _I'm going to take you."

She emphasised her words by pushing two fingers slowly inside the redhead, eliciting a loud, drawn-out moan from her lover.

"That good, Willow?" Tara asked sensually as she pulled out and entered her again, still going slow. She was lying on her side beside the redhead, propped up on one elbow.

"Incredible," Willow replied dreamily, "Nice and deep."

Tara stretched her fingers out inside to an attempt to get even deeper.

"Tara, that's fucking amazing," Willow groaned, letting her eyes flutter closed, "Can you go a little faster?"

"You got it," Tara replied, quickening her thrusts.

Willow started moving her hips in time with her girlfriend's thrusts, sighing at the intense pleasure. Tara watched her lover, loving her facial changes, the way her eyebrows shot up when the brunette went in particularly deep, how her nostrils flared for that split second before she was re-entered and most of all, that dreamy smile that seemed to be permanently fixed on her.

"You like it deep, don't you, Will?" Tara asked in the same sensual tone, loving hearing exactly how her girlfriend felt as they made love.

"Like it deep. Deep and fast."

"Deep and fast?"

"Mmhh, yeah. And hard. I want it hard, Tara."

"Oh I can do hard," Tara replied and readjusted herself so she was lying atop of the redhead, both of them groaning as her breasts pressed up against the smaller girl's back. She held onto her girlfriend's shoulder with one hand as the other one began pumping harder inside, "Like that? That hard enough?"

"Oh god…oh god…do it harder, fuck me harder…oh yes…just like that…oh god, Tara, what're you doing to me?"

"Loving you, honey. I'm loving you."

"I'm gonna come, baby. With you inside me."

"I know, Willow. I can feel where you are."

Willow grunted as she neared her peak and reached a hand up to grab the pillow as she felt Tara start to kiss around her neck and the top of her back.

"Love you, Tara," she rasped out as she felt herself teetering on the edge, knowing that the words her girlfriend would respond with would be enough to send her over.

"Love you too, Willow. Always will."

"Oh fuck. Oh yes. Oh yes. OH YES. TARRRAAAAA!"

Tara continued her trail of kisses as she felt her lover convulse beneath her before slowly extracting her fingers and moving that hand underneath the redhead, rubbing her clit.

"Holy mother of fucking…GOD YES! Ohhh TARA!"

Willow shut her eyes tight as the second orgasm started washing over her, barely seconds after the first one had hit her full force, letting each ray of pleasure consume her completely. As that one began to subside she was stunned to feel Tara still rubbing furiously on her clit and could hear words being whispered into her ear.

"Come again, Will, please. Please, I love watching you come."

"Y-yes," Willow managed to respond, "H-hold my hand."

She reached her hand up on the side of Tara's free hand and felt the brunette entwine them, placing them flat on the bed.

"You're so beautiful, Willow. I love you, I love you."

"Uhhh, I…'ov…you," Willow rasped out as she exploded for the third time, only the weight of her girlfriend on top of her stopping her from arching completely off the bed.

Tara took her hand out from under the redhead and rolled off of her, careful to keep their hands entwined as she gathered the shaking girl in her arms, placing light kisses on her forehead.

After a few minutes, Willow became aware of the world around her again as she felt a soft stroking on her cheek and looked up into loving blue eyes.

"You okay, gorgeous?" Tara asked in a hushed tone.

"Yeah. Wow, babe. I don't think I've ever come so much."

Tara leaned down for a soft kiss and pulled back with a questioning look on her face.

"I didn't push too far?"

"No way. That was wonderfully intense. Hehe, I don't even think I can move. I'm glad you didn't decide to do that tomorrow morning, I wouldn't have made it to the campus!"

"Well I did my job of relaxing you," Tara smirked, "No more unnecessary freak-outs?"

"I can't promise…but I'll try."

"That's," Tara paused as she went in for another kiss, "My girl. So, d'ya wanna eat?"

"Oh you bet I do," Willow replied, looking down and fixing her gaze on the brunette's centre as she licked her lips.

"I meant food," Tara replied, blushing from the ardent gaze she was currently receiving, "Um, I thought you couldn't move?"

"I can't move my legs," Willow said, letting her eyes move upward to lock eyes with the brunette, "But my mouth is very moveable. My tongue in particular is in the mood for a work out."

Willow winked at her and Tara gulped as she realised the redhead's intention.

"So you want me to, um…" she nodded upwards to indicate what she meant.

"If you wanna do it, you should be able to say it," Willow said teasingly, repeating what Tara had said to her once before.

"You're the one who wants me to… not that I don't, I do, I really do, if we're thinking the same thing, which I think we are, then I've been fantasising about that for a while and wow, contagious babbling or-"

"Tara, shut up and sit on my face."

Tara's eyes lit up and she almost started giggling with excitement.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Get up here!"

Tara eagerly manoeuvred herself out of their embrace and placed her thighs either side of her girlfriend's face.

"Like this?"

"Exactly like that," Willow replied, raising her head so she could inhale her lover's scent.

"What, um, if you can't breath or something?"

"I'll deal with it," Willow responded absently as she cupped Tara's ass cheeks and brought her down to meet her mouth.

"Ohh Willow," Tara moaned as she felt the redhead's tongue glide into her wetness.

She reached her hands out to hold onto the headboard, thankful their hotel room had one, and hung her head, moaning again when her she saw Willow looking back up at her as her tongue continued to work her, twirling around her clit.

"Love your tongue, Will," she panted out as their eyes stayed locked, "Love when you eat me out."

She saw Willow's eyes glaze over at her words and felt her clit start to be sucked with such intensity that the brunette was surprised her girlfriend wasn't getting lockjaw.

"Uhhh…I…Mmhh…You know what I want."

Willow used their locked gazes to quirk an eyebrow, silently telling Tara that she wanted her to say it regardless, as she moved her tongue down to plunge inside. Tara let out a sharp gasp followed by a throaty moan.

"Oh, spank me, Willow. Been a bad girl. Make my cheeks – oh!"

Tara gasped again as Willow's hand came down against the flesh of her ass. If someone had told her before their little schoolgirl experiment that she would enjoy being spanked, she would have laughed right in their face, but as it turned out, it totally turned her on. She didn't know if it was because it made her feel naughty, in the best possible way, or whether it was because she was giving more trust to her girlfriend, or just because the small pain associated gave her even more intense pleasure, but for whatever reason it was, she was oh so glad that Willow fulfilled all her desires and that she herself enjoyed fulfilling any of hers.

Their sexual compatibility was as wonderful as their emotional compatibility and Tara loved that every time they made love, the two combined with such force. Whether it was needy and raw or slow and sensual or just because they were both in the mood for sex, there was always love there, and that love made it all a hundred times more powerful.

"Do it again," she whispered coarsely, their eyes still locked.

Willow brought her hand down three times in quick succession as she brought her lips back up to her girlfriend's throbbing clit, sucking on it again. She sensed an immediate change in the brunette's taste and winked up at her, knowing she was about to come. Tara saw her lover wink at her and whimpered at the final spank, knowing she was close as well.

"I'm coming, Willow," she said through gritted teeth, "Gonna come in your mouth."

Willow redoubled her efforts as her girlfriend's words rang through her ears, spurring her on.

"Mmhh, you want me to come, don't you? You thirsty, honey, is that it?"

Willow's eyes lit up and she moaned her agreement, the vibrations sending shockwaves right through Tara's clit.

"Well you can drink all you want, Will, it's all for you. Oh yesss… all for you. Oh I'm coming. Ugh. Willow…Willlllowww…WILLOW!"

Tara's back arched as she came, pushing herself even more into Willow's face as she gripped the headboard so hard her knuckles went white. The redhead lapped greedily at the overflow of juices coming from the brunette. After a few minutes she reluctantly realised that her girlfriend had no more juices left to give and with one final farewell lick to her clit, she encouraged Tara down her body off to the side so she could hug her. When there was no movement from the other girl after a few moments, she leaned forward and kissed her softly.

Tara responded to the kiss straight away, moving her lips against the redhead's as she tasted herself on her lover. She pulled back a minute later with a lazy smile on her face and leaned in for another chaste kiss before speaking.

"Well now we have a small problem."

"What?"

"If neither of us can move, how the hell are we gonna order room service?"


	31. Chapter 31

Tara was brushing through her hair when she heard a loud knock on the hotel room door. Confused as to who it was, since they hadn't ordered breakfast and it was too early for housekeeping, she quickly checked that all her clothes were on and walked over to the door, closing the bathroom door on her way since Willow was still in the shower.

They had originally gone in together but when it became clear that they very well may never leave if both of them were there, Tara had quickly washed her hair while Willow washed her body and left the pouting redhead to look after her own bathing. She pulled open the door and jumped back in shock as three cheery teenagers burst into the room.

"Helloooo, Tara!" Buffy greeted, drinking from what had been her fifth mocha that morning, "Who knew there was a five in the morningtime as well?!"

"I-uh-I…" Tara stammered before closing the door and backing up against it, "What are you guys doing here?"

"Well we're here for the Willster of course," Xander said, sitting on the bed, "Big competition and all. Wanted it to be a surprise but we realised last night that we had no idea where the debate was actually being held…Willow mentioned you were coming to this hotel and the fine and good gentleman at the front desk informed us that this was your room."

"Yeah, after Xander slipped him a twenty. I love how you know how to use money," Anya interjected, smiling sweetly at her boyfriend, who smiled back.

"Tha- that's great, guys," Tara said as she comprehended what was happening, "Willow'll be delighted with the support."

Willow choose that moment to exit the bathroom, wrapped only in a small towel, holding it closed with one hand with a pile of clothes in the other.

"Baby, where did you throw my bra- Agghhh!"

The redhead jumped back in fright when she saw everyone else in the room, almost losing her hold on the towel in the process. Tara ran forward and held onto it too, pushing her girlfriend back into the bathroom.

"Get dressed, then they'll explain."

"Um, I…yeah, right," Willow bit her lip before continuing in a hushed tone, "You threw my bra somewhere last night, I couldn't find it."

"Uh, I think I can help with that," Buffy said, picking up the lacy pink bra from where it was hanging off the mirror in the room, "Go Tara."

She threw the bra towards the couple, Tara catching it in one hand before putting it in the smaller girl's hand and shoving her into the bathroom, pulling the door closed and leaning against it, avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"Everyone's uncomfortable now," Anya stated as she took in the demeanour of the room, "Why? It's not like we don't know Willow and Tara are sex maniacs anyway."

"We don-, um, I really don't think-"

"Xander, maybe you shouldn't be, uh, sitting on the bed with the _messed up sheets _," Buffy said, nodding at the boy.

"Huh? Oh. Oh!" Xander said, jumping up as Tara blushed, "Oh wow. They…there? So there was like naked-"

"Alright, out. We'll met you guys in the lobby in fifteen minutes," Tara said, going over to open the door.

"Right. Leaving," Xander said, slipping out the door, followed by Buffy and Anya.

Tara closed the door, shaking her head before going over to the bathroom door and knocking.

"Can I come in, sweetheart? It's just me."

"Of course."

She went into the bathroom and saw Willow sitting on the edge of the bath, completely naked apart from a pair of socks from the waist-down.

"I, um, sent them to the lobby. They came down to cheer you on today but didn't actually know where the debate was… Honey, not that I don't appreciate the view, but why aren't you wearing anything below the belt?"

"Forgot to grab a pair of panties," Willow replied, blushing, "I had no idea how I was gonna get you to get me some without the whole gang seeing. But, hey, wow! They never come to my debates! This is great!"

"You're gonna be great, sweetie," Tara said, walking over and dropping a kiss on top of her girlfriend's wet hair, "Now lets go finish getting you ready."

Willow walked out of the elevator, her hand entwined with Tara's as they looked around the relatively empty lobby. Spotting their three friends in the far corner near the main entrance, they walked over and sat with them, Willow slipping easily into Tara's lap.

"I can't believe you guys came!" Willow said excitedly, "How did you even get here?"

"Stupidly early bus," Buffy replied.

"Um, speaking of," Xander interjected, with a sheepish look on his face, "We kind of spent our return money on caffeine and sugar to survive the harsh morning…earliness. And um, bribing the front desk…"

"We're driving back this afternoon, Xand," Tara said, chuckling a little, "I think Alexis can fit in three more."

"Thank the gods. I thought we might've had to start a three piece street band to raise the cash," Xander replied with a relieved sigh.

"With your voice?" Willow teased, "We'd have to come visit you at Christmas, 'cause you'd still be here."

"Yeah, well…Oh who am I kidding, she's right."

Tara smiled at the interaction at brushed over her girlfriend's knuckles with her thumb.

"We need to get going to the campus soon," she said to the gang.

"Yeah, I'm meeting my teacher there at 9am…and it's 8:30 now…" Willow added.

"Well our debate champ of the world, lead the way!" Buffy said, standing up and moving towards the entrance.

Willow stood up just as Anya was walked past her and tugged on her arm to get her attention.

"Buffy been on the mochas?"

"Made our bus driver stop seven times. I had a pool going with some other passengers about whether he'd actually just throw her off."

Willow nodded her understanding and turned to help Tara out of the seat. A few minutes later they were all bundling into Tara's car, Buffy bouncing excitedly in between Xander and Anya in the backseat while Willow read over her speech again in the front. They arrived at the college campus in fifteen minutes and were all heading towards the designated lecture room, when Willow heard her name being called. She turned her head and saw her debate teacher walking towards them.

"Mr. Ramos. Hi," she said, giving a little wave.

"Willow, how are you? You got down okay?"

"Oh, yeah," Buffy said, raising her eyebrows, "By the looks of their hotel room, they got down very o-"

Xander clamped his hand over the keyed up girl's mouth and started dragging her down the hallways, Anya following.

"She has a condition…Uh, caffesugitis," Xander tried to explain as Buffy struggled to be let go, "She needs her pills, excuse us."

"Um, they had an early morning. Came down to support me," Willow said, trying to control the blush that was rising on her face as she watched her friends round the corner at the end of the hallway.

"Support is very good," Mr. Ramos replied cordially, for the first time noticing the conjoined hands of the two girls in front of him.

He smiled, thinking of his own boyfriend, Eric and inwardly chuckled that he hadn't noticed that his best debate student was clearly in love with the brunette, she attended every debate religiously and he often saw they walking around school together. He figured that Eric would tease him even more about his very apparent lack of 'gaydar' when he told him and regarded the couple in front of him again.

"And I think four supporters is the most any Sunnydale High debate competition has ever had. How are you feeling?"

"Little nervous," Willow admitted and heard Tara clear her throat, "Okay, a lot nervous."

"Well don't be too worried. Your speech is written, and I think it's excellent. All you can do is be calm and composed and you'll do great."

"Thanks sir."

Mr. Ramos gave her a warm smile and checked his watch.

"We kick off at 9:30am, rules, introductions, etc. Speeches should start at 10am and you're forth up. You'll be called to the stage, but you know the procedure inside out at this point. You have an assigned seat in there and I'll be in the block of seats behind you, with all your wonderful supporters as well. You should probably go in and get settled so you're all prepared when it's time to start."

Willow nodded as her teacher spoke, taking in the information.

"Will do, sir. Thanks."

"No problem, Willow. Oh, and good luck."

Mr. Ramos departed with another warm smiled and Tara squeezed the hand in hers.

"Come on," she said, dragging Willow towards the bathrooms just a few feet away from them.

"Oh, good idea," Willow replied as they went through the doors of the bathroom, "Don't wanna be in the middle of speaking and squirming 'cause I have to…"

Willow trailed off as Tara brought them both into the toilet stall, locking the door behind them.

"Um, babe, it's not that I mind the 'you seeing me naked' thing, obviously, but I think maybe this is one of those things we should do on our own…you know, small amount of mystery in the relationship…"

"Honey, I wanted to give you a good luck kiss in private. Granted, toilet stall, not the most romantic of places, but I was kind of stuck for options. I, uh, agree to the keeping, um, _things _, private."

"Ohh. That makes a lot more sense. Okay, kissing now."

Willow wrapped her arms around the brunette's neck and felt Tara hold loosely onto her hips as their lips met in a leisurely kiss, lips moving against each other in a slow, loving fashion. They pulled back with a few chaste kisses before Willow dropped her hands.

"Now I'm calm," she said with a smile.

"Good. Lets go get you settled in the room then."

Willow nodded and bit her lip.

"Tare? Can I, uh, meet you out there? Now that you dragged me in here, I kinda have to, ya know, go."


	32. Chapter 32

Tara left the stall and exited the bathroom, leaning against the wall until Willow walked out a few minutes later and nodded towards the lecture room. They walked into the large oval room and noticed quite a few other teenagers milling around different areas. Xander, Buffy and Anya were sitting behind a seat that had 'Willow Rosenberg' taped on and waved them over.

"Look, Will, your own little seat and everything," Xander said, pointing.

"I know," Willow replied with a grin, taking her seat, "It's gonna start in a few minutes guys, so I just wanted to say thanks again for coming down. It means a lot."

"No worries, my tree-like friend," Buffy responded, "And sorry for earlier. I promise you won't hear a peep from me from now on."

"Thanks. You all rock."

Willow got a round of reassuring smiles as they heard a man go up to the podium to start proceedings. All the while, the redhead prepared her sheets and pens for rebuttal in front of her and saw Mr. Ramos slip into the group behind her. As the first speaker got up she felt her nerves begin to waver a little, focusing solely on listening to the words being spoken.

When it was her turn, she stood tall at the podium and saw Tara mouth 'love you' at her before she spoke. Taking a deep breath, she started her speech, knowing it pretty much by heart at this stage and made sure to make eye contact with everyone in the room, looking at her girlfriend if she ever needed some reassurance.

When she was done, she calmly walked back to her seat, inwardly delighted, happy at how she had performed and got back to focusing on everyone else's speeches for her rebuttal.

The time passed in a flurry of words and arguments until eventually everyone had said their speech, presented their rebuttal and the judges had excused themselves to deliberate. Everyone gathered around the redhead when the judges left, congratulating her, telling her she'd been fantastic until the judges returned, asking everyone to return to their seats.

"Firstly, we'd like to thank everyone for being here today, we were all very impressed with the quality arguments put forth and the confident approach to public speaking presented here today. Those of you who are not named winners, please be assured that debate is something you can continue on with through your high school and college years and we look forward to seeing you again. If we call your name, please come up to accept your plaque. In third place; Aaron Kiesling, St. Marks Preparatory School, Santa Barbara."

There was a round of applause as a tall boy went up and took a small plaque from the judge at the podium.

"Second place, Courtney Misal, Whitfield High School, San Diego."

A jumpy girl let out a slight squeal and jumped from her seat, excitedly taking the larger plague and blowing a kiss to the entire room as everyone clapped.

"And in first place, we would like to say that we were thoroughly impressed with this entrant and are looking forward to seeing them in competitions in the future. So congratulations to Willow Rosenberg of Sunnydale High, Sunnydale."

"HA!" Anya said, jumping up with a grin, "In your face, other schools!"

"Yeah!" Buffy said, jumping up as well, getting lost in the excitement, "We have the best debater in the whoolllee state, so suck on that!"

"Um, very well. If you could please sit down so your friend could accept her award," the judge said from the podium, a shocked expression on his face.

"Oh right," Buffy said, looking down to see Willow slinking down low in her chair,

"But nobody forget that she's the best!"

Buffy was yanked down into her seat by Tara, Anya pulled down as well by Xander as Willow sunk lower and lower.

"I'm quite certain we will remember," the judge spoke again, "Uh, Willow Rosenberg, first place."

Willow stood up, her legs shaking slightly, in shock that she'd actually won and at her friend's display. She went and took the large plaque from the judge and smiled at him, going back to her seat quietly.

"Again, we'd like to thank everyone for coming today, it's been a pleasure to bear witness to such wonderful debating."

There was another round of applause around the room as people started standing, talking with others, a few leaving the room with a tear in their eye, disappointed at not winning. Everyone rushed towards Willow, but Tara got there first, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend and swooping her down for an enthusiastic kiss. She pulled back and held the redhead in an embrace, Willow with a dazed smile on her face.

"Well done, Will!" Xander said as Willow continued to looked dazed by the kiss.

"Uh…fire bad?"

"Ah," Anya said, nodding her head, "She's gone caveman. Happens to Xander sometimes. Extreme shock or arousal. I'm thinking it's maybe both here."

"Hmm? No, no, I'm fine," Willow said, snapping herself out of her daze as Tara continued to hold her tight, "I can't believe I won! And thanks for all your encouragement, guys, it really means – baby, do you think we could stopping hugging for a sec? Talking and having the breath squeezed outta me is kinda difficult."

"But…" Tara pouted, then sighed, giving her girlfriend a final tight squeeze before letting go, "You were wonderful. You so totally deserve it."

"Thanks. I still can't believe it. And thanks, Mr. Ramos for all your support and help and everything. I couldn't have done it without you."

"My pleasure, Willow. You're a delight to coach."

There were more words of congratulations and thanks as the entire room started to disband. The gang walked back towards the carpark and got into Alexis, driving back to the hotel in a flurry of excitement. Willow and Tara quickly went to their room, grabbing their bags and checking out before going back to the car. They had meant to check out before going to the debate itself, but in the commotion of the gang arriving had forgotten.

When they got back to the car, Buffy had moved to the front seat and was flicking through radio stations as Xander and Anya kissed in the back seat. Tara got into the drivers seat as Willow yanked Buffy from the passenger side.

"But I don't want to be in with them kissing the whole way!" Buffy pouted.

"Won't be an issue," Tara said, "Buffy, sit between them."

Anya pulled back, an indignant look on her face.

"Backseats were made for this entire purpose," she said, glaring at Tara as Buffy shimmied her way between her and Xander.

"I agree. But we," Tara replied, turning her head to look back, and shaking a finger between herself and Willow, "Are the only ones allowed to make out in Alexis."

"It's true, Anya," Willow said, turning back too, "It's a rule."

"This is…discrimination, that's what it is! You're discriminating because we're straight," Anya retorted.

"Anya, I assure you, even if you go out and get a girlfriend, you're still not making out in the backseat of my car."

"Oh fine," Anya huffed, "Then I'm at least choosing the music."

"Good luck controlling the buttons from the backseat," Willow teased.

Tara smirked at her girlfriend and started the ignition of the car, heading back onto the freeway towards Sunnydale.

"So guys, just one week left of our junior year. Kinda cool, right?" Xander said as they drove, "You know, if you'd told me the end of our sophomore year that I'd be sitting in the backseat of a car, not only not making out, but that the car belonged to Willow's _girlfriend _, I woulda called you crazy."

"If you'd have told me that I would have gone to a school event for anything, this time last year, I would've called you crazy too," Anya joined in.

"Well, if you'd have told me that I would have seen five o'clock in the morning _at all _, I would've gone one further and called up the loony bin myself," Buffy added.

"It's definitely been an interesting year," Willow piped up, still giddy from her win, "Came out to my friends, got a hot girlfriend, fell in love for the first time, got kicked out by my parents, said girlfriend slapped some sense into parent from which I got un-kicked out, did the SATs, won an all-state competition and now I'm about to finish my junior year with SAT results and our Prom all on the same day!"

"Yeah," Xander nodded, "Willow definitely wins for most interesting year."

"Hey, don't forget about Tara," Anya interjected, "She has the SAT and prom and girlfriend thing, plus the move cross-country. Plus, she met me, her best friend."

Tara smirked at her friend in mirror and gave her a nod.

"It's very true, Anya, I did meet you. And the rest of the gang and got myself a whole bunch of friends I never thought I'd have. So, I dunno if it was the most eventful…but it was certainly the best."


	33. Chapter 33

"You ready to look?" Tara asked as they sat in her bedroom, hovering over her girlfriend's laptop.

"No. Yes. No," Willow replied, biting her nails.

"I'm really glad you weren't this indecisive about our relationship."

"That was different, Tara. Only an idiot would not try and whip you up, there was nothing to decide. See, these, I don't have to know, technically, I don't, it's not like I'm applying to college with them, gonna redo them next year, so why risk knowing in case I failed?"

"You didn't fail, Will. You've never failed a thing in your life. And if we don't look, why did we even bother doing the test in the first place?"

"Fun filled Saturday?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Okay," Tara replied, taking the laptop, "I'm pressing the button."

"Tara, no!"

"Too late, already pressed. It's loading."

"You're cruel…if I did bad then I'm gonna need a lot of comfort sex, you know that, right?"

"What if you do fantastic, which you will?" Tara asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Then I'll need 'congratulations for doing a fantastic job, Willow' sex like we had last week after my debate."

"So you're saying I should just start taking my clothes off now, regardless of what happens?"

"I'm never gonna contest that happening."

"It's loaded."

In a panic, Willow shoved closed the lid of the laptop, almost crushing Tara's fingers in the process.

"Honey," Tara said in a warning tone.

"Tara, I'm so scared," Willow said, near tears.

Tara pushed the laptop off her lap and pulled Willow to her, laying them both down so they were spooning.

"There's nothing to be scared about. Like you said, we can just use these as practice scores…"

"But, like_ you_ said, I never fail. I just…I really don't want to start. I don't want you to be ashamed of me," Willow replied in a small voice.

"I could never be ashamed of you, Willow, never."

"Even if I fail?"

"Even if you fail," Tara whispered in her ear, "But you didn't."

"What?" Willow asked, turning so they were facing each other.

"Your reflexes weren't quick enough, sweetie. Saw your score. 2160."

"2160?" Willow asked, her face lighting up.

"2160," Tara confirmed.

"I…I…" Willow tried to speak, sitting up and pulling the laptop to her, "2160! 780 math…680 writing…700 critical reading…"

"That's the 99th percentile in math, Willow! That's incredible!"

"I did okay," Willow replied with a giddy smile.

"You did so much better than okay," Tara replied, sitting up and turning her girlfriend's head so they could kiss.

"Mmhh," Willow moaned into the kiss, "This means 'congratulations, Willow' sex right?"

"Most definitely…but can we check if they'll be some 'congratulations, Tara' sex in there too, first?"

"Oh god, of course!" Willow said, logging out and handing the laptop over to her girlfriend, "I was just joking around with the sex thing, just so you know."

"Oh," Tara replied, typing in her details, "That's cool, sweetie. We don't have to make love. I'm very happy with just being with you."

"No, I didn't…I meant I wasn't trying to force myself on you…"

"Honey, when have I ever rejected your advances?"

"Well…never. Okay, let's just forget the whole conversation. As long as you know I'm happy – so happy – just being with you to. Watching TV, or talking or anything."

"That is very sweet, love," Tara replied, shutting the lid, and putting the laptop on the floor, "But get those clothes off, missy, 'cause now I am very much in the mood for 'mutual-congratulations' lovin'."

Willow squealed excitedly and jumped on top of the brunette, showering her faces in kisses.

"Whatcha get, whatcha get?!"

"Take your shirt off and I'll tell you…"

"You do not have to bribe me to get naked around you," Willow said, pulling her t-shirt over her head, "But I'm oh so willing to barter."

"Two."

"Two? Oh, I get it. So, let me guess, my pants for the next number?"

"It's that logical brain of yours that got you such a high math score…" Tara smiled, then furrowed her brow, "Your panties say Wednesday."

"What?" Willow asked as she dropped her pants to the floor and got back on the bed to straddle her lover.

"Wednesday. They say Wednesday. It's Friday. Why are you wearing Wednesday panties on a Friday? Actually, why do you have panties with days on them anyway?"

"Is this what people feel like when I babble and jump subjects?" Willow asked, completely confused.

"No. Well, maybe. It's just that your panties say Wednesday and it's not-you know what, I'm just gonna take your bra off now, okay?"

Tara didn't wait for an answer as she reached up and unsnapped the hook of her girlfriend's bra, tugging it off her shoulders.

"I think this is the most insane start to one of our lovemaking sessions ever," Willow said, baffled by the conversation so far.

"Not insane…quirky. But I agree. Can we start again?"

"You want me to put my clothes back on?"

"No," Tara replied and pulled Willow down to lie on her side beside her. She ran one hand up and down the redhead's sides and brought their lips together in a tender, drawn-out kiss, "Wanna make love with you."

Willow smiled into the kiss, delighted that Tara had managed to change the mood so quickly with such a simple action and even simpler words. The brunette turned them over so that she was lying on top of the smaller girl and started a trail of kisses downwards, over her collarbone and down the valley of her breasts, lavishing her stomach with attention, licking and kissing any piece of flesh she could find.

"Mmhh, baby," Willow softly sighed at the attention, "Can I get some skin?"

Tara quickly pulled her t-shirt over her head and moved back up her girlfriend's lithe body so her bra-encased breasts were hovering above the redhead's face.

"Wanna free them yourself?" she asked sensually.

"You bet," Willow promptly responded, reaching behind to unhook the brunette's bra.

Tara snorted with laughter as the material of her bra fell down her outstretched arms and hit Willow in the face. She lifted one hand to free the fabric, then the other before picking the bra up and throwing it on the floor.

"I would be embarrassed," Willow said, fixing her gaze firmly on the two breasts right above her, "But I'm much too happy. Wanna lower yourself a little?"

Willow waggled her eyebrows up at the brunette, who smirked back and lowered her chest, pushing her breasts into her girlfriend's face. She moaned when she felt the redhead tug a nipple into her mouth as her cheek nuzzled against the other one.

"Mmhh, that's good, honey."

Willow let her hands cup the cheeks of Tara's ass as she switched her mouth back and forth between the brunette's nipples, loving the feeling of being so engulfed by her lover's breasts.

Tara was getting more and more aroused as the redhead continued to play with her breasts and fondle the flesh of her ass through her jeans. She reluctantly sat back between the smaller girl's legs, breathing hard. Willow looked back at her in disbelief, pouting.

"Please come back?" she asked, jutting her lower lip out predominantly.

Tara ran her hands up and down the younger girl's thighs, gently grazing over her panties as she did so, causing a hitch in her girlfriend's breath.

"I really wanna make love to you, okay?" Tara asked.

"Okay. Wait... no. Together. I really want us to be together," Willow replied.

Tara nodded with a sultry half-smile and jumped off the bed, dragging her jeans and panties down her body before reaching over and taking Willow's panties off as well. The redhead spread her legs and bent her knees a little as Tara started crawling up her body, eventually arriving so they were face to face, holding herself up on outstretched arms, leaning down to kiss the smaller girl.

"Can you hold yourself open for me for a sec?" she asked in a whisper, nuzzling her lips around the redhead's neck.

Willow wordlessly reached a hand between their bodies, feeling the brunette do the same and parted her lips. She groaned in delight when she felt Tara's own parted lips come down on hers, their clits touching instantly.

"Ohh yes. Exactly like this. Want it exactly like this," Willow rasped out, bringing both her hands around to cup the brunette's ass again, encouraging the rubbing motion her girlfriend was starting, to continue.

Tara moaned in response and started sucking on her lover's pulse point, bringing one hand between their upper bodies, squeezing one of Willow's breasts in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the nipple.

They continued moving against each other, fondling the flesh in their respective hands as they both moved closer to what they could tell would be an earth-shattering orgasm.

"You close, baby? I'm close… so close," Willow gasped out, every movement the brunette made sending a jolt of pleasure straight through her.

"Oh yes, Willow," Tara replied and rested her forehead's against the redhead's, "Just a little more."

"Keep your eyes open?" Willow requested.

"You got it."

Tara let her lips lean down to meet Willow's as they stared at each other. Tara saw the redhead's eyes begin to glaze slightly and felt her grow taut beneath her. She pulled away from the kiss and quickened her movements, bringing her arms back into their outstretched position, clutching the sheet beneath them. Their eye-lock was broken as Tara threw her head back and Willow started to arch completely off the bed.

"Oh goddddd…yesssss…Tarrrraaaaa," Willow let out in a strangled groan, squeezing the flesh of the brunette's ass as the orgasm broke within her, spreading furiously to every inch of her being.

"Willow…Willow…Willow," Tara chanted under her breath at the exact same time, gasping loudly as she finally came, shutting her eyes tight, "Yours, Will, I'm yours, all yours…WILLOW!"

Tara's arms gave way as the aftershocks continued to shoot through her, and she collapsed on top of the redhead, feeling weak arms wrap around her, holding her.

Tara eventually raised her head and sluggishly moved up a little so they were face to face.

"Mmhh, that was great," she said lazily and placed a small kiss below Willow's ear.

"All with the agreements here," Willow replied giddily, "We have to shower before getting into our prom dresses."

"Shush. Later," Tara groaned, "Snuggles now."

"Yeah. Definitely snuggles."

"Oh and Will? I got 2090."


	34. Chapter 34

Tara smoothed the material of her light yellow dress one as she checked herself in the bathroom mirror one last time. She let her hair was pulled back in a pony tail, with wisps of hair framing her face and the light blue eye shadow she had applied made her eyes pop.

Her and Willow had agreed they'd get changed for the Prom at her house, and had come straight home from their final day of their junior year, ready to check their SAT scores and start to get ready.

After their impromptu, yet thoroughly enjoyed lovemaking session, and the twenty minutes of afterglow snuggles that were also thoroughly enjoyed, they had disentangled themselves and Willow had gone for her shower, coming back in a towel and making Tara leave with all her clothes and make-up for the night, wanting to keep at least one thing traditional; not seeing each other until they were both in full attire.

She left the bathroom and walked into the living room, where her mother was sitting, reading the newspaper. She looked up when the brunette walked in the room and got a tear in her eye.

"You look beautiful, sugar," she said standing up and walking over to give her daughter a hug.

"Thanks, Mom," Tara said, hugging back.

"Where's Willow?" Jen asked, going back to sit on the sofa.

"Oh in my room, getting changed."

"You're not with her?"

"Mom!" Tara replied, sitting on the armchair across from her and giving her a playful glare.

"I didn't mean any…you know, I think you take a lot of things that I say with a much more suggestive meaning that I ever intend. I don't know how I feel about that," Jen responded jokingly.

"To answer your question, she didn't want us to see each other until we were all ready. Did you get those roses I asked you to pick up?"

"Indeed I did," Jen replied, reaching onto the small coffee table beside the sofa and grabbing a small bouquet of red roses.

She handed the flowers over the small space where her daughter was sitting.

"Thanks so much, Mom. I wanted them to be fresh but a surprise, ya know? She woulda seen if I stopped on the way home from school."

"Well I'm happy to help."

"You're the best, Mo-" Tara was cut off by her own gasp as Willow shyly entered the room.

She was dressed in a simple knee-length, strapless black dress, her hair put up in a tight bun with, like Tara, a few tendrils framing her face. She had also applied some light eye shadow, a subtle green that made her eyes shine vibrantly. Her outfit was finished by the necklace Tara had bought her for her birthday, the two hearts shining brightly.

"Holy crap!" Tara continued, "I mean…no, holy crap just about covers it."

"And she got a 790 on her writing SAT," Jen chuckled, having been delighted when Tara informed her of her scores when she had come home from work; Willow had been in the shower and Tara had come in with a beaming smile, telling her the news.

"SATs didn't make me stand in front of the most beautiful girl on the planet," Tara replied absently, standing and going over to Willow, awestruck.

"Not possible," Willow said, taking in the brunette's look as well, "I'm the one standing in front of the most beautiful girl on the planet."

"You look incredible," Tara whispered, running her hands up and down her girlfriend's arms, then handed her the roses, "These are for you."

They stayed staring, lost in each other until Jen cleared he throat, feeling like she was intruding on the moment and wanting to ease the tension.

"So Willow… I know this is generally meant to be said to daughter's date going to senior Prom, but I'm going to say it regardless. Don't get my daughter pregnant."

Willow, used to her girlfriend's mother's teasing at this stage, adopted a serious face and regarded her.

"I solemnly promise I will not get your daughter pregnant tonight, ma'am."

"Good," Jen replied with a smirk, "Okay, so no drink, no drugs, no-"

"Mom, since Buffy has adopted some sort of protest stance and doesn't want to go to any after-Prom parties-"

"It's part of her 'no more guys' perspective," Willow interjected.

"She's very young to have become so cynical on love…" Jen said with a sad smile.

"Anyway," Tara said, continuing on from before, "Xander and Anya are doing their own thing after as well, and we have no interest in hanging around a bunch of people drinking and doing said drugs, getting squashed onto a sofa that will probably have god knows what kind of stains on it, we're coming straight back here after the dance to my nice big… um, stereo. To listen to music and talk about how much fun we had."

Jen caught Tara's verbal slip-up, saw the slight blush on both girl's faces and narrowed her eyes.

"Make sure you have your house keys. I think I might go into the office tonight. Catch up on some work. Till late."

"Right. Now that this has been sufficiently awkward, we're leaving," Tara said and went to turn both her and her date.

"No, I need pictures!" Jen said, jumping up and running into the kitchen to get her camera.

Tara rolled her eyes and turned to her girlfriend.

"I'm sorry."

"You kidding me?" Willow replied with a grin, "I love your mother."

Jen came back in the room with her camera and indicated for the two girls to stand closer together. The couple stood closer and put on a smile for the camera as Jen continued to click away.

"Okay, now hold onto each other's waists."

Tara rolled her eyes again with a smile and turned to hold onto her girlfriend's waist, feeling Willow to the same. They looked at each other, grinning until Willow's hands started snaking lower, on instinct.

"Willow, you know I'm fine with your relationship with my daughter, but really, groping her right in front of me?"

Willow squealed and pulled her hands away, turning to face Jen with an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Ms. Maclay, I didn't mean to, I swear, they just have a mind of their own some- oh. You're teasing. You think I'd know that by now," she said, looking sheepish.

"You haven't called me Ms. Maclay since we first met," Jen said, biting her lip to keep from laughing, "Sorry I freaked you out."

"I promise I don't just go around groping your daughter…"

"Willow, don't lie to my mother," Tara said, giving her a faux-stern look and eliciting a disbelieving glare from the redhead, "Come on, we're gonna be late."

"Oh yeah," Willow nodded, recovering slightly, but embarrassed nonetheless, "Uh, since we're coming back here anyway, can I leave my roses in your room?"

"I'll take care of that," Jen said, taking the flowers from Willow, "Have a great night, girls."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Thanks, Jen."

The couple walked out of the living room and out of the house, to Tara's car as Jen waved to them from the front door. Tara started the ignition in the car and pulled out of the driveway with a final wave.

"Moms," Tara sighed, smiling nonetheless as she drove the short five-minute drive to the school.

"As far as they go, you've got one of the best."

"Yeah," Tara replied, scrunching up her nose, "I know I do. So…you're not gonna get me pregnant tonight?"

"Nope," Willow responded and waggled her eyebrows, "Doesn't mean I'm not gonna try."

Tara blushed and continued driving until they pulled into the carpark a few minutes later and saw Buffy standing at the small steps that lead down to the gymnasium. Buffy seemed to spot the car and ran over as they were getting out, hugging Willow enthusiastically before letting her friend go and giving the same treatment to Tara.

"Um…what's with the big bear hugs, Buff?" Willow asked, a little dazed.

"I'm just glad someone's here. One major drawback of not having a date – walking in alone. So I waited out here for you guys."

"We're sorry, Buffy, we would've hurried if we'd known," Tara said with a genuine smile.

"It's all good. You're here now. And wow, you guys look incredible!"

"You do too," Willow said, looking at her best friend's flow-y lilac dress, fitting her curves perfectly, "You look amazing."

"Yeah, totally," Tara agreed, "That dress hugs your figure really well."

"Okay, too far, Tara," Willow replied with a glare, "'You look great' would've been fine. Don't need to go talking about figures and curves."

"Hey now, I never mentioned curves, that's all on you."

"Guys," Buffy sighed, wrapping an arm around both her friend's shoulders, "Please don't fight over me. I understand that my hotness is just so overwhelming sometimes that – I don't know whose hand that is, but I'm guessing they were trying to reach a little more across?"

"Um, my bad," Willow said, pulling her hand back, "Was aiming for Tara's butt, not yours."

"If you were about to grope me, does that mean you're not mad? I just meant it in a friend way," Tara asked, ducking out from Buffy's embrace and wrapping her own arms around the redhead's waist.

"Definitely not mad."

The girls smiled at each other and leaned in for a kiss while Buffy sighed.

"Okay, so now I'm thinking going in on my own would have been better," she said into the night, the kissing couple in front of her completely oblivious, "Instead of standing here, in a pretty dress, watching two of my best friends make out. But no, I had to try and keep my dignity. That failed miserab- Oh thank, god, Xander, Anya! Now I can take 'crazy; talks to herself' off the list."

Buffy embraced Xander and Anya as they walked up to her.

"Willow and Tara kissing again, huh?" Anya asked casually.

"Yep," Buffy nodded, "I'll take the redhead."

"Understood," Anya replied with a nod of her head.

The two girls walked over to the couple, Buffy grabbing Willow around the middle as Anya did the same to Tara, pulling them from their embrace. Willow was about to say something but just looked at Tara and all four girls burst into giggles. Xander walked over and shook his head.

"Never in my life will I ever understand women. Shall we dance?"

There was a chorus of agreements and the gang made their way into the gymnasium, brightly decorated with balloons and streamers with a table set up with punch. The room was filled with the rest of their classmates, some dancing, some just standing around, talking.

Anya immediately dragged Xander onto the dance floor, hitting him lightly on the arm to get him to move. Buffy rolled her eyes and turned to face the other two girls.

"I'm gonna go scope the place out. See what's happening… maybe taunt Cordelia a little."

"Have fun, Buff," Willow said with a smile, before turning to Tara, extending her hand, "My dance?"

A slow song came over the system as they arrived on the dance floor and Willow wrapped her arms the brunette's neck, feeling Tara rest her hands comfortably on her hips as they started swaying to the music.

"So…whole summer of fun ahead of us," Tara said, looking into the redhead's eyes.

"Mmhh, I know. Hey, we should go the beach. With everyone. Have a barbeque or something."

"Xander'd try to act like his macho self and the barbeque would never get lit, and then it'd probably rain or something."

"Jeez, pessimist," Willow said with a smirk, "We'd still have fun though. You know why?"

"Enlighten me," Tara replied, smirking back.

"'Cause we'd be together."

Tara leaned down and put a playful kiss on the redhead's nose, then moved lower so their lips were brushing against each other lightly. Barely seconds later, an arm was pushing through their upper halves, separating them completely.

"Ah, uh, ah," Willow spluttered, completely confused.

"Ladies," Snyder sneered in a quiet tone, "Obviously I was not aware of the nature of your relationship, but now that I am, I cannot allow you to flaunt it…as you are at this dance. You may both stay if you keep a foot apart from each other, otherwise, please leave, or I will have you escorted out. Do I make myself clear?"

"Ah, uh, ah," Willow spluttered again, this time completely shocked.

Snyder took that as confirmation of understanding and turned, going back to his corner where he was watching over the entire room.

"I cannot believe that just happened," Willow said, finally comprehending what had happened, "God, Tare, I don't wanna stay a foot away from you!"

Tara bit her lip and looked between Snyder and her girlfriend.

"Wait right here," she said, looking at Willow, "Okay? Right here."

"Yeah, sure," Willow agreed, watching Tara walk over to the DJ and say something, before turning on her heels and walking back to her, "What was that about?"

"We're gonna get kicked out anyway, 'cause there's no way I'm staying away from you tonight," Tara said, grabbing her girl by the waist, "Lets give them a reason to get kicked out."

Willow recognised the opening bars of Lady Gaga's 'Just Dance' start to play and understood what her girlfriend met.

"Tara, I don't know how to actually dance…"

Tara leaned forward and put her mouth above Willow's ear.

"I know you know how to move against me," she breathed and started moving them both sensually to the beat.

Willow shivered and smirked, quickly spinning herself in Tara's arms so her back was rubbing up against the brunette's front as the pace of the song quickened. She was keeping up with the beat as she felt her girlfriend do the same behind her, grinding into her as she guided both their movements, keeping a firm hold on the redhead's hips. Willow noticed the other people on the floor stopping their own dances and everyone else gathering around, watching them dance.

She surprised herself by feeling good at the attention, even as she felt Tara's hands start to move up and down her sides in what could almost be considered naughty touching, she wasn't embarrassed. She felt mischievous and fun, knowingly defying a teacher's request, and she had to admit, was getting a little turned on by the close contact. She gasped slightly, making sure to keep her movements in time when she felt her girlfriend briefly graze the side of her breasts as her hands moved up and down her sides.

_Okay, make that a lot turned on. _

The song ended to a round of applause and Willow giddily turned around in Tara's arms, seeing a grin on the brunette's face that matched her own. Her eyes widened as she saw Snyder come towards them, seething, in her peripheral vision and tilted her head to indicate the impending disaster to her girlfriend. Tara turned, saw what Willow was talking about and quickly grabbed her hand, dragging them both straight out of the gymnasium, not stopping until they were safely in Alexis. Once there, they both looked at each other and burst into laughter.

"That was awesome, Tare! The look on Snyder's face!"

"He was so angry! Serves him right, nobody tells me I'm not allowed be with my girl."

"Mmmm, I love aggressive Tara," Willow said and leaned over the car to meet her girlfriend's lips in a fiery kiss, "Lets get back to your place."

"Definitely," Tara murmured into the redhead's lips, giving her a few short, sweet kisses, before pulling back and starting the car, driving back to her house, their hands entwined the whole time.

They walked through the front door, both putting their bags in the hallway and were about to go down the hallway to Tara's bedroom when Jen appeared the doorway of the kitchen, holding the phone in her hand, with a look on her face that neither Willow nor Tara could decipher.

"Mom?"

"I just got a phone call from your principal," Jen replied, walking towards them, "He says that you specifically disobeyed his orders, then proceeded to engage in a 'provocative dance' that alone would be against the moral code of the school, but because of the 'nature of the students' involved, was even more morally reprehensible. And all because he told you that you couldn't be within a certain distance of each other?"

"Um, yes?" Tara answered.

Jen's face broke out in a huge grin and she went forward, embracing both the girls, giving both of them a kiss on the head.

"Way to stick it to the man, girls! I am so proud of you!"


	35. Chapter 35

Willow excitedly turned the corner and walked towards her girlfriend's house, her pace quickening as she got closer. They hadn't seen each other in two weeks, Willow's parents having been invited to speak at a conference in Hawaii and had asked Willow to go with them.

She was delighted that she was actually involved in a family vacation, it was the first they'd ever gone on, and she had thoroughly enjoyed the time, spending most of it with her father, as well as seeing Hawaii, but had missed her girlfriend like crazy and had been more than happy when her parents had asked if it would be okay to end their vacation three days early so they could go to another conference in Vancouver.

Her plane had arrived only a few hours ago, and she had just dumped her bags in her room before running back out, straight to Tara's. She hadn't told the brunette she was coming home early, wanting to surprise her, and now that she was only minutes away from seeing her, she was practically running to get there. She walked up the driveway and waved eagerly when she saw Jen getting to her car.

"Willow! Welcome back! I thought you had a couple more days?"

"Yeah, parents wanted to get back early for more work stuff. Hawaii heat in July is kinda harsh anyway. And I really missed Tara," Willow replied, speaking quickly.

"She'll be really happy to see you. I'm just going back to work, but the doors unlocked, you can go right in. She was going into her bedroom when I was leaving."

"Thanks, Jen! Have fun at work!"

"I work at a bank, Willow, it's just not possible. But thank you," Jen replied, getting into her car and driving away.

Willow waved her off before going through the front door, and running towards Tara's room. She opened the door, about to yell 'surprise' but stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her.

Tara scrambled to get the blanket around her as her bedroom door opened, she'd heard her mother leave so hadn't bothered to lock it, and her eyes widened even more when she saw who was standing in the doorway.

"God, Tara, I am so sorry, so, so sorry," Willow said, covering her eyes with her hand and going to leave the room, "Um, call me later. Or don't. Whatever you want. Uh, sorry."

"Willow, stop."

Willow stopped but kept her back to the brunette and her hand over her eyes.

"Look at me."

Willow slowly turned and let her hand fall from her eyes.

"Tara, I'm sorry, I should've knocked, I was just so excited about seeing you. We got back early from Hawaii and your Mom said you were in your room and I just walked on in, and you were having a private moment, which you are so totally entitled to and I ruined it and I'm so sorry."

"Come here."

Willow walked over to the bed and sat beside her girlfriend, careful not to disturb the blanket that was around her.

"Please don't apologise again," Tara said, stroking her cheek and leaning forward to kiss the lips she had missed so much in the last two weeks, pushing her tongue forward straight away so it could meet its twin, before pulling back and looking straight into green eyes, "If you want…I could, um, finish?"

"Oh god, of course, I'm sorry," Willow said, jumping up again, "We can hang out later."

"Willow," Tara replied, tugging her back on the bed, "I meant, do you wanna, um, watch?"

Willow's eyes nearly bugged out of her head and she felt her mouth go dry, but seeing the vulnerable look on her girlfriend's face she quickly composed herself.

"Really? You would…for me?"

"If you wanted?"

"God, baby, I would love nothing more. But only if you're sure."

Tara leaned forward her kissed her lover again, conveying her certainty.

"Just us making love," she said between kisses.

Willow nodded into the kiss pulled back.

"You're beautiful," she said with a final kiss, "Um, chair?"

Tara nodded and Willow moved to sit in the armchair, getting a perfect view of the bed from her angle. The brunette blushed as she realised exactly what she was about to do. She hadn't felt the need to pleasure herself since before she and Willow had started making love.

The few weeks leading up to that night had required a lot more… personal assistance and the need had been reawakened when she found herself Willow-less for two weeks. Still, she'd only done it once so far in the two weeks, after talking with the redhead for over an hour on the phone and had found the lingering affects of just her girlfriend's voice got her worked up enough.

And she was only starting when the smaller girl had walked in, leading to the offer to watch, which she wasn't regretting, but was just a little nervous about. Willow saw the hesitation.

"You don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with. Please don't feel pressured or anything."

Tara looked over at the redhead, suddenly feeling very much in need of any assistance, her own or other wise and gave her a sultry half-smile, letting the blanket fall from around her. She lay back on the bed and rested her head comfortably on the pillow, before letting one hand trail down her stomach.

Willow's mouth hung open as Tara's nude form came into focus, and bit back a groan as she saw her hand moving across her stomach, slowly inching upwards towards her breasts.

Tara brushed lightly over the swell of her breast, before bringing her thumb and forefinger up and pinching her nipple, moaning as she did so.

"Ohh baby," Willow breathed, licking her lips, "What're you thinking about? What are you imagining?"

"You and me," Tara replied, using her spare hand to trace circles on her stomach.

"What are we doing?"

"We're both naked…looking at each other…then you crawl on top of me…making me lie down…and press your body fully against mine…"

Without even realising she was doing it, Willow had slowly unbuttoned her shirt and undone the front clasp of her bra, shrugging both garments off her body and pinching her nipples as Tara described what was happening in her head.

"Then you cup my cheeks…and lean down to kiss me…"

Willow saw Tara's tongue poke out between her lips for a second as she used both hands now to pinch and tug at her nipples before she continued.

"And your tongue is in my mouth. Exploring everywhere, like you want to feel every inch of me, know every inch of me. Eventually we need air…and you pull away…then come back again, kissing me softly as you look into my eyes…telling me…"

"I love you," Willow said breathlessly, pinching her own nipples even harder as she watched in awe of the scene before her.

"Telling me you love me," Tara confirmed, "You pull away again…and start to move down my body…kissing all over my chest…until finally you take my nipple in your mouth and run your tongue over it…I can feel it harden even more and you bite down…"

Tara pinched her nipple particularly hard as she said this and let out a long moan.

"Hard…I'm moaning above you, telling you how good it feels…and it feels so good, Willow, so good…you switch sides and I feel a hand come up to work on the breast you just left, squeezing it and rubbing your thumb over the wet nipple… you stay like that until I'm writhing beneath you…and I push on your shoulders, trying to get you lower."

"I won't budge, though, will I?"

"No," Tara groaned, "You stay at my breasts, teasing me…I have to clutch at the sheets to stop my hands from reaching down myself…but I know if I just wait…you'll give me everything I could ever want…then you release my nipple and nuzzle into my breasts for a few moments…I hear you say 'I love you'…I don't know whether you're talking to me or my breasts…"

"Both," Willow said honestly, knowing she had said those exact words to Tara's chest in the middle of making love on a few occasions, "I love any and all parts of you, inside and out."

"Then I finally feel you move down…twirling your tongue around my stomach…and I open my legs for you…"

Tara spread her legs wide, bending her knees so she'd have better access and heard Willow gasp, then moan, then gasp softly again. She let the tips of her fingers run through the hairs of her mound, biting her lip and subconsciously bucking her hips.

"You finally settle…between my legs and kiss inside my thighs…licking the wetness that's already there…I hear you inhale deeply and you say…"

"Made you nice and wet, didn't I? God, you're dripping," Willow said, hoping she was reading into the open-ended sentence correctly, that Tara wanted her to speak.

"Yes," Tara panted, "So wet… all because of you… I feel you bring your hand up…and you hold me open for you…"

Tara slipped her hand down and parted her lips, hearing Willow's breathing get even shallower as she exposed herself completely. Willow bit her lip when she saw her girlfriend's clit come into view, starting to peek out of its hood.

"Oh baby, you're so beautiful," Willow said, having to restrain herself from jumping up and living out Tara's fantasy for real.

"And then…you look up and me…and wink…before lowering your head and I feel your tongue glide into me, in one long lick. You let your tongue roll back into your mouth and sigh…"

"Tara, you taste so good," Willow moaned, her lips twitching at the thought of actually being able to taste her girlfriend.

Tara let two fingers slip into her centre, mimicking the motions she knew Willow's tongue would do and groaned when she briefly brushed across her clit.

"Ohh…and you lower your head again, exploring everywhere…then I feel your lips wrap around…"

Tara paused and swallowed, slightly embarrassed again about saying everything in explicit detail but started rubbing over her bundle of nerves and decided that she'd gotten this far and she wasn't about to back out now.

"Your lips wrap around my clit…and I arch my back at the contact, amazed that you're able to give me such pleasure…you start sucking, in a perfect rhythm, knowing exactly what I like…and I start to feel an emptiness…I need you inside me, filling me, making me complete…you know what I need and I feel your fingers start to make their way inside me…"

She let her hand move down and thrust two fingers inside, whimpering as she did so and started moving her hips in time with her thrusts. She brought her spare hand down to resume the rubbing motion on her clit.

"Oh god yes," she moaned, thrashing her head from side to side, "You're still sucking on my clit as your fingers move faster and faster…and I cry out when you reach my – OH YES, WILLOW, YES – oh god…I cry out when you reach my spot inside…you know exactly where it is…know my body so well…"

Tara's fingers started moving faster over her clit as she reached her own sweet spot.

"And then I'm coming, Willow," she panted, her thighs starting to twitch, "I'm moaning and holding onto your head…holding you to me… and then…finally…it starts to break…and I'm screa- Oh yes…oh yes…Oh Willow…Ohh…Willow…WILLOW!"

Tara's hand movements stilled as she arched off the bed, the orgasm flowing through her, her arms falling to the side as she collapsed back onto the sheet.

She gasped when barely seconds later she felt Willow's tongue start to lap at her centre. She looked down and saw her girlfriend's head completely buried in her, her hands almost roughly holding her thighs apart. She swallowed a few times to get some moisture back in her mouth before attempting to speak.

"Get up here…Willow…need you…too."

Without stopping her tongue movements, Willow reached down and unbuttoned her jeans, struggling slightly, but eventually getting them loose enough to drag both those and panties down her body, kicking them off when they reached her knees. She raised her head to say something but quickly dove back in, not able to leave just yet. After a few seconds she became aware of the very palpable ache between her own legs and looked up.

"On sides. Want your fingers too," she panted out.

She quickly manoeuvred herself onto her side, bending her knee into an upright position and watched as Tara did the same, turning her body so they had access to each other's centres, both eagerly getting to work as soon as they were ready.

Tara, wanting to comply with her girlfriend's request straight away, brought two fingers up and thrust them inside, moaning against the redhead's clit as she felt the tight wet heat she'd missed being in so much.

Willow sucked the brunette's clit into her mouth, flicking over it with her tongue in fast strokes as she let one finger circle her opening, delighting when she felt small contractions start, trying to grab onto the probing digit. Not able to resist being inside her lover any longer, she let the finger push in, slipping a second one in almost straight away and starting a fast rhythm, feeling Tara quicken her pace too in response.

It didn't take long for both girls to be nearing the edge, Tara being extra sensitive from having just come already and Willow, turned to almost painful levels from watching her girlfriend. Tara felt herself falling over first, and starting sucking harder on the redhead's clit, feeling her inner walls start to clench immediately.

She opened her mouth to accept all the juices that were flowing, feeling Willow do similar as they both came at the same time, quivering with the intensity of the orgasm. Eventually they both stilled and Tara collapsed onto her back, feeling Willow sluggishly turn around and crawl up her body, lazily trailing kisses from her stomach to her collarbone, then around her neck.

"Tara," Willow said breathlessly after a few moments of licking her girlfriend's neck, "Baby, I need you again. I need to feel you."

Tara pulled Willow's lips to her own and opened her legs as they kissed.

"Yours to take," Tara replied between kisses.

Willow slid a hand up and down her girlfriend's body sensually, barely grazing over the flesh as they continued to kiss. She felt like she might die if she didn't continue to touch the brunette. After what she'd witnessed, she felt even more connected to her lover, which combined with the fact that they hadn't seen each other in so long made the tension and need in the air particularly tangible.

"Mmm, I love you," she whispered as she moved her lips back to the brunette's neck and let her hand caress her thighs, "You're so soft…and so warm…and all mine."

"All yours," Tara gasped out as she felt two fingers enter her and grasped onto Willow's shoulders with both hands.

Willow kissed up from under her girlfriend's chin to her earlobe, then licked back down and started again, all the while keeping her finger's thrusting steadily in and out. Her ears were in the perfect position, just inches away from her girlfriend's mouth to hear every sound being made, every moan, every gasp and every grunt, the sounds just making Willow want to work all the harder.

Tara let out a throaty moan when Willow did, in fact, start to thrust harder and started rubbing her hands across her lover's shoulders and up her neck in a slow, fluid motion.

"Baby?" Willow asked in a slightly dazed tone after a few minutes of these ministrations.

"Are you okay, honey?" Tara whispered back, not letting up her caress and feeling her girlfriend keeping up her thrusting movements.

Willow opened her eyes wide as she realised what was happening and kissed Tara's ear.

"I think I'm coming, baby," she whispered, then nibbled the brunette's earlobe.

"I…I'm not touching you," Tara replied, confused and getting light headed as she felt herself nearing her own peak.

"You're always touching my heart."

"Oh Willow," Tara gasped at the declaration as it made her start to crash, "I, oohhh, I love you…so, oh yes, oh yes, so much, oh god, oh yes, Willloooww!"

"Love you too, Tara," Willow panted as watching and feeling her girlfriend come was enough to set off her own orgasm, "Ugh…yes…Tarraaa!"

Willow buried her head into Tara's neck as she came, feeling the brunette cup the back of her head as she contracted around the redhead's fingers.

After a minute, she gently extracted her fingers and used them to trace around her girlfriend's lips, kissing the juices from them when she was done. Tara languidly responded to the kiss, until Willow pulled away and rolled off of her, grabbing the blanket and pulling it over the two of them, before snuggling into the taller girl.

"Was wonderful," Tara slurred slightly, delirious with bliss.

"Mmhh…yeah it was…have to go away more often."

"No…don't…promise I'll still rock your world."

"I know you will. Um Tara?" Willow asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

"Yeah?"

"What you did was really beautiful…and really special…so, um, thanks for sharing that with me."

Tara smiled and cupped the back of her girlfriend's head, bringing her in for a sweet kiss, before pulling back and nuzzling their noses together.

"I love you…And I like sharing any part of my life with you. And who knows… maybe next time, I'll get to watch."


	36. Chapter 36

"Hey guys, does Tara look like she's burning? I think she's burning. I should help. I don't want a burnt girlfriend," Willow said, rushing off towards her girlfriend.

"I was wondering how long it would take her," Buffy remarked, throwing the large beach ball in her hands over to Xander.

"Yeah…Will's been staring at Tara ever since she moved to lie on her back…That bikini certainly highlights her, um, attributes," Xander answered.

Buffy looked at Anya, expecting some sort of outburst and was surprised when she just smiled at her boyfriend.

"It's okay. I understand that I'm the only one he really wants, but given that he's a man, he can't help but look when breasts are presented to him in an alluring manner…or, well, any manner. I accept this," Anya nodded, catching the ball, "However, if Willow hears you saying what you just said, I would run away and cover your manhood."

"Yeah, she can really live up to those green eyes when she wants to," Buffy interjected, "Jealous Willow, not so pretty."

"Hey, it's not my fault that Tara has big breasteses," Xander replied with a 'duh' expression.

"Okay, now I'm just offended as a woman," Buffy said, giving the boy an exasperated look.

Oblivious to the conversation going on since she had left her friends, Willow made her way over to the towel her girlfriend was lying on, sunbathing and keeping an eye on everyone's stuff. She sat on the towel beside the brunette and smiled when Tara raised her sunglasses and put them over her head, looking at the redhead.

"Hey beautiful. You finished playing with the oversized ball?"

"Yeah. You looked like you might burn and I didn't want you to burn so I came over here and anyway, throwing a plastic ball around is no fun, well, it would be fun if you were playing, 'cause anything is fun when you're there, but otherwise it's just Xander shouting at Buffy not to throw it so hard, which is funny, but again, not as fun when you're not there, 'cause you had to watch the stuff, which was very sweet and very responsible, it's why I love you really and-"

"You wanted to put sun block on me?"

"If that's okay," Willow nodded eagerly, grabbing the bottle of sun block from her beach bag.

Tara bent her arms and rested her head on top of her hands, stretching her body out.

"Please, go right ahead."

"Hell yeah," Willow said under her breath, causing a smirk from the brunette.

Willow squirted some sun block onto her hands and rubbed them over Tara's stomach, making sure to rub it in completely, before scooting down and rubbing the cream into her legs, covering every inch of flesh available.

"You are aware that you look like you're rehearsing for one of those porn films I've seen stashed under Xander's bed, right?" Anya said, walking up to the couple.

"Ahn, those are…educational aids!" Xander said, jumping from foot to foot uncomfortably.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure they 'aid' you alright," Buffy said, shaking her head, before plopping down on her own towel.

"Can we please move on?" Willow asked, taking her hands away.

"I agree," Xander said, pulling Anya down to sit beside him, "New topic."

"Like how we're starting school again on Monday?" Buffy asked.

"Eugh, no. Monday, as in three days from now, as in three days I don't have to think about homework or teachers or getting up early. Please, no talk of school," Xander shuddered.

"We could tell Willow how you were talking about Tara's chest earlier…" Anya suggested, sticking her tongue out at her boyfriend.

"You were what?!" Willow shot her head around to glare at her oldest friend.

"Wow, I am really not looking like a good guy today," Xander said, running his hand through his hair, "I have no excuse other than, I am a man and…well, that's all I have. Please don't go all jealous-monster on me. I'm sorry and I won't do it again?"

Willow looked down at Tara's chest, then back at Xander and sighed.

"Well it's not like I can blame ya. They are wonderful."

"Really?" Tara asked, sitting up and pulling a t-shirt from her bag, slipping it on, "You're both really just talking about breasts right in front of me?"

"Tara, you do have a great rack," Anya interjected.

Tara opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and chuckled.

"You know what, I love you lot way too much to stay mad. So, Xander, thanks for the attention, Willow, I am more than aware that you think they're wonderful, Anya, thanks for the compliment, and Buffy, thanks for being the only sane person here."

"Hey now, Buffy's not always sane," Willow replied, "Remember when she broke up with her last boyfriend. Going on about how being with him wasn't heaven and she wouldn't be happy with anything but heaven?"

"Oh yeah," Anya nodded, "That was really annoying."

"I don't know how to react to getting complimented then insulted in the space of three seconds," Buffy responded.

"We've got a crazy bunch of friends, Buffy," Tara said, smiling at her friend, "Just nod and smile."

"Ah, okay," Buffy agreed, nodding and smiling.

The whole group burst into laughter at the entire bizarre exchange, that in reality was quite normal for them, until Xander stood up a few moments later.

"All this hilarity is making my stomach beg for food. I'm gonna go start the barbeque."

"Oh yeah, go be your manly self," Anya teased.

"I really need guy friends," Xander mumbled moving off to the side to set the barbeque up.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Willow whispered to her girlfriend, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Sure," Tara replied, smiling.

The couple jumped up and clasped hands.

"We're just going for a walk. Don't worry," Willow said, casting a glance over to where Xander was staring at the barbeque and frowning, "We'll be back way before the barbecue's even ready."

There was a small wave from the other two girls and a grunt from Xander as the couple made their way down the beach.

"I love the way sand feels when you're walking barefoot," Willow said, kicking some sand ahead of them, "It's so…grainy."

"Well they are grains of sand…"

"Tara, you know exactly what I mean, don't tease!"

"How'd you know I know what you meant?"

Willow turned and started walking backwards in front of the brunette so she could see her, entwining both their hands.

"'Cause you always know exactly what I mean."

Tara smiled a half-smile and dug her toes into the sand.

"You're right. Very grainy. Soft and small…but when they touch you it feels like silk…and warms you to your very core."

"Are we still talking about the sand?" Willow asked, shooting Tara a look of pure love.

"Was my metaphor that thinly-veiled?"

"No…it was perfectly balanced and understandable…as far as metaphors go, it was really quite good. I can see why you do so well in English."

"Easy when you have such beauty to inspire you."

"Yeah…" Willow sighed, looking around, "Beach really is pretty."

Tara grabbed the redhead around the waist and pulled her to her.

"I meant you," she said quietly, kissing the smaller girl softly.

"I know," Willow whispered back, going in for another kiss, "C'mon, there's something I wanna show you."

Tara let herself be dragged down the beach a little more and over some sand dunes to a bunch of large rocks, being lapped at the waves. The sun was hitting both the water and rocks at such an angle that they were reflecting each other perfectly, both shimmering vibrantly.

"Wow," Tara said at the sight.

"Yeah," Willow agreed, "But, um, that's not what I wanted to show you."

Tara looked at her quizzically.

"What do you wanna show me?"

Willow nodded towards the end of the rock formation and walked them both over there, sitting down in the sand and patting a space beside her for Tara to sit too. The brunette obligingly sat, joining their hands again.

"Look at that rock there. The big one with the pointy bit on top," Willow said, pointing at the rock right in front of them.

Tara looked at the rock, trying to decipher how it was different from all the others surrounding it, until a slight blur caught her eye in the side of the rock. She moved closer and widened her eyes in surprise at what she saw.

"W + T 4ever," she read aloud, "You carved us into a rock?"

"Look at the date."

Tara looked under the engraving to see some numbers engraved as well.

"09/14…September 14th?" she asked in confusion, sitting the other side of her girlfriend so she could see both the engraving and the redhead with just a tilt of her head, "But…we didn't meet 'til October. And it's only August now."

"The second week of school last year… I, um, noticed you in Gym for the first time. And you just…you blew me away. I couldn't get you out of my head, even though I hadn't spoken to you or anything…I just felt…I don't even know what I felt, 'cause I'd never felt it before. Then I spotted you in Bio and I heard you say 'yes' when Tara Maclay was called from the register…and your name…it was the most beautiful thing I had ever heard…probably all seems stupid, being so infatuated when I couldn't even get the courage to say hello to you…but I was…you were holding my heart and you didn't even know it…so anyway, that weekend, me and Buffy, and Xander and Anya came to the beach. And I snuck off for a little while, just to think. And I sat pretty much in the same spot you're sitting in now…and I saw a piece of glass in the sand. So I picked it up and before I even realised I was doing it, there were our initials…and…I was telling the world I wanted you to be my always. You know, a part of the earth…forever."

Tara was struck dumb from the speech and felt a tear start to roll down her cheek. Willow caught the tear with her thumb and wrapped an arm around the brunette's waist.

"Baby, don't cry."

"Willow, I have no idea what to say."

"Then don't say anything," Willow whispered, "And kiss me."

Tara turned her head and brought their lips together passionately, trying to convey all the love she had for the smaller girl through the kiss. They stayed kissing until they both pulled away for air and Willow manoeuvred herself to sit in between her girlfriend's legs, feeling the brunette rest her chin on her head and entwining both their hands.

"Wow," Willow said after a few minutes.

"What?"

Willow turned her head around to meet Tara's eye and smiled.

"The sun is shining, I've got my girl and we've got our senior year ahead of us…it just doesn't get any better than this."


	37. Epilogue

**Five Years Later **

* * *

"There you are," Tara said, walking out onto the balcony and wrapping her arms around the petite redhead standing out there, "I missed you."

"Mmhh," Willow replied, leaning into the embrace, "Sorry, love. Leaving you alone in bed after the first time making love wasn't my best decision."

"First time?" Tara asked in disbelief, "I think you're about six years too late with that sentence."

"I meant the first time since you finally made an honest woman outta me," Willow chuckled and held out her hand in front of the two of them, watching her newly-put-on wedding ring glint in the moonlight.

"Finally? Most people would think twenty three is still pretty young to get married."

"Most people didn't meet the love of their life when they were seventeen."

"You were sixteen."

"That's very true. Cradle robber."

"Besides," Tara smirked and put her hands over her wife's five-months-pregnant swollen belly, "I had to marry you. I knocked you up."

Willow grinned broadly and put her own hands over Tara's, thinking about how they'd decided to have a baby, wanting to do it young so they could spend the most time with the life they created.

Willow had gotten pregnant their first time trying with the insemination and both had cried as they watched the little blue line appear on the pregnancy test. They had fallen into each others arms and made love for hours, until exhaustion took over and they settled into just lying together, holding each other.

After a few minutes of holding onto the redhead and tracing circles on her stomach, Tara had reached over to the bedside locker on her side of the bed and opened the drawer, pulling out a small box and opening it between them, asking the redhead to marry her. Willow had, of course, said yes straight away and Tara had told her how she'd had the ring in her possession for six months but had been completely stumped on how to ask.

The next day, Willow came home from work with a ring of her own, proposing to the brunette as well, who giddily accepted. They had spend the next five months planning the wedding as Willow's stomach grew and had finally made it down the aisle earlier that day, surrounded by Buffy, her boyfriend of two years, Thomas, whom everyone loved; Xander and Anya, who were currently off-again in what had been a tumultuous relationship since Anya started college and Xander joined the workforce, but were close to another reconciliation; all their families and few friends that had been made through college and work.

"That you did, babe. That you did."

"How's our boy doing?" Tara asked, kissing her wife on the ear.

Willow turned in the brunette's arms and walked them over to the sun lounger they had set up on the balcony of the apartment they had been living in for the past two years.

Both girls fell in love with it as soon as they saw it and had moved out of their college dorm room to rent it, Willow doing some programming for a big company on the side to pay. Both had also received scholarships to the University of Sunnydale after high school, and both had knuckled down, with the support of each other. Tara, who had double-majored in English and Education, and Willow, who had majored in Computer Science, got their respective degrees in three years.

The programming Willow had done on the side during college had gotten her a full-time job straight away and Tara was currently teaching English to the students of Sunnydale Middle School. The owner of their apartment had decided to sell at around the same time they were both starting their jobs, and with a little help from Ira and Jen, had managed to make a down payment so they could keep the apartment they loved so much. It was a large place, with three bedrooms, so even when the baby came, which they'd found out only two weeks ago was going to be a boy, they would still had enough room.

"Matthew James," Willow said, lying down in the lounger and pulling Tara down too so they were facing each other, "Is asleep. Big day for all of us."

Tara smiled as she heard the name. When they'd gone in for their ultrasound, having already decided to find out the sex, they had decided on a boys name, but were stumped for a girl, so as soon as the technician had said 'it's a boy', Matthew had been officially named and the middle name of James had been decided upon a few days later when Willow suggested it in honour of how they met. Tara didn't understand straight away, but once the redhead had explained that James = Jim = Gym, she had agreed immediately, thinking it not only marked how they had indeed met, but it was just another perfect example of Willow's quirky sense of humour that she loved so much.

"Very big day," Tara agreed, putting a hand on Willow's belly, "Your parents are married now, bub. How does it feel to be legitimate?"

"It feels wonderful, Mama," Willow said in a baby voice, "And Mommy likes it too. I can tell, 'cause her insides are all warm and fuzzy."

"I don't know how the hell I got so lucky. I mean, how many people get to marry the first person they fell in love with?"

"I know exactly what you mean… It's funny, Buffy asked me today while I was getting ready whether I found it weird that I was getting ready to spend my life with the only person I've ever been with."

"Oh. Um, what did you say?"

"That if it was weird knowing I have everything I could ever want or need then call me peculiar 'cause I'm the luckiest girl in the world."

"No way," Tara replied, leaning over to kiss her wife, "The luckiest girl in the world is me."

"I guess dreams can come true," Willow responded, smiling, "I think I just quoted song lyrics."

"I think you did," Tara said, looking contemplative, before standing up and slipping into their living room, looking around their stereo, "In fact…if I remember correctly…"

Tara turned as the opening bars of Gabrielle's 'Dreams' started to play.

"Dance with me?"

"You know I always will," Willow replied, getting up and wrapping her arms around her wife's neck, as they started to move to the beat, "Even when you get me in trouble for it."

"One of these days I'm gonna admit that you actually enjoyed defying a teacher for once."

"You haven't gotten it out of me in five years, even with all those promises of sexual favours and when you load me up with alcohol. I stand by my stance that we shouldn't have disobeyed an authority figure at our Junior Prom-"

"Only Prom. We were banned our senior year, remember?"

"I remember how all our friends refused to go as well and we partied on the beach. But anyway, what makes you think you're gonna get it out of me now?"

"'Cause I have something much stronger than sex and alcohol," Tara replied and leaned down to whisper in the redhead's ear, "I'm your wife…and the mother of your child."

She pulled back and looked into Willow's eyes, who looked back adoringly.

"I loved every second of it," the redhead said quietly, "I love every second of everything we do together."

Tara's smile beamed and she twirled the smaller girl around a couple of times, eliciting a giggle and soft kiss from Willow when they were facing each other again.

"So what were you thinking about when you came out here?" Tara asked as the song ended and they both went back to reclaim their positions on the lounger.

"Hmm?"

"Well, I mean you don't normally get up and come out here when I'm asleep. Do you? Or was it bub?"

"Oh, right. No, normally I'm much too happy in your arms to leave. Not that I wasn't tonight, I was very happy there… And Matthew was fine too. I was thinking about a lot of things."

"Good things?"

"Great things. About us and our son. How much I love the both of you… Will you do me a favour?"

"Of course," Tara replied, moving to get up, "Drink? Food? Is it indigestion?"

"No, no," Willow chuckled, pulling the brunette back down, "Will you say your vows for me again?"

"Definitely," Tara responded and cupped one of Willow's cheeks, "Willow. My beautiful Willow. I never thought that I'd be blessed enough to find the person I wanted to spend my life with when I still in high school. But I did. You taught me the most important things I ever learnt in school, you gave me lessons in love… I got to watch you grow from the girl I fell in love with to the woman I love now… and every step of the way has been magical. You're my everything, sweetheart. And I promise to spend the rest of my life showing you."

Willow leaned in for a tender kiss and started to sit up.

"I think it's about time we got back to bed. I'm suddenly in the mood for that 'showing' you promised. Might even have to demonstrate a little myself."

Tara smiled a sultry half-smile and started to sit as well, getting lost at looking at the moon for a second. Willow saw her staring off and playfully bumped her shoulder.

"What is it?"

"Hmm? Oh it's just…"

She trailed off and wrapped her arms around her wife's mid-section.

"The moon is gleaming…I've got my woman…and we've got the rest of our lives ahead of us. It just doesn't get any better than this."

* * *

**The End **


End file.
